The Relationship Between Household Chaos and Emotional and Behavioral Problems Among Preschool Children: The Mediating Effects of Maternal Parenting Behavior and Effortful Control

Abstract

This study examined the mediating effects of maternal parenting behavior and preschoolers’ effortful control in the relationship between household chaos and emotional and behavioral problems among preschool children. Participants were 556 mothers of preschoolers aged four to six years who completed a series of questionnaires. Data were analyzed using correlation analysis and structural equation modeling. The main findings were as follows: First, household chaos was significantly associated with preschoolers’ emotional and behavioral problems, with higher levels of household chaos being associated with more emotional and behavioral problems; second, negative parenting behavior significantly mediated the relationship between household chaos and preschoolers’ emotional and behavioral problems, whereas the mediating effect of positive parenting behavior did not reach statistical significance; third, the mediating effect of preschoolers’ effortful control was not statistically significant; fourth, the sequential mediating effects were statistically significant, indicating that household chaos was associated with maternal parenting behavior (both positive and negative), which was related to preschoolers’ effortful control and, in turn, to their emotional and behavioral problems. These findings suggest that preventing and addressing emotional and behavioral problems in early childhood requires multifaceted interventions that simultaneously improve the home environment, promote positive parenting practices, reduce negative parenting, and enhance preschoolers’ internal self-regulatory capacities.