The impact of parenting styles on middle school students’ negative emotions: the mediating role of self-esteem

The impact of parenting styles on middle school students’ negative emotions: the mediating role of self-esteem | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article The impact of parenting styles on middle school students’ negative emotions: the mediating role of self-esteem Long Hua, Ning Li, Weiwei Chang, Zhiyin Pan, Jiajie Xiong, Lijun Zhu, and 7 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6539518/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Purpose This study aims to explore the relationship and underlying mechanisms between middle school students' self-esteem, parenting styles, and negative emotions, providing a reference for effectively preventing and alleviating negative emotions among this demographic. Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted among students from the first to the third grade of high school in a province, utilizing the online Questionnaire Star platform alongside on-site surveys. A total of 4,483 valid questionnaires were collected. Questionnaires with missing values were excluded, resulting in a final sample of 4,340 questionnaires. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0 and Mplus 7.4 software, and a structural equation model was constructed to examine the relationships between self-esteem, parenting styles, and negative emotions. Results 1) Parental rejection and overprotection positively predict negative emotions; 2) Parental emotional warmth negatively predicts negative emotions; 3) Self-esteem serves as a partial mediator between parental emotional warmth, parental rejection, and negative emotions. Conclusion A parenting style characterized by rejection diminishes students' self-esteem, thereby increasing the level of negative emotions. Conversely, a parenting style characterized by emotional warmth enhances students' self-esteem, thereby reducing the level of negative emotions. Biological sciences/Physiology Health sciences/Health care Parental rearing style Mental health of middle school students Self-esteem Mediating effect Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Introduction The middle school stage is critical for the formation of adolescents' values and serves as an essential period for personal growth and development. At this stage, students often experience an imbalance in their psychological and physical development, which results in a high incidence of mental health issues among them [1, 2] . Of the 1.2 billion adolescents aged 10 to 19 worldwide, approximately 16% suffer from illnesses and injuries related to mental health problems [3] . Furthermore, those with severe psychological issues exhibit pronounced suicidal tendencies [4] . Negative emotions are typically responses to adverse living environments, with depression, anxiety, and stress being commonly recognized predictors [5] . Additionally, individual mental health development is significantly influenced by parental parenting styles. Parenting style is a stable behavioral framework that encompasses parents’ concepts of parenting, their behaviors, and the emotional expressions they convey towards their children [6] . Parents are significant figures who engage most closely with individuals from early life onward. Parenting styles play a crucial role in shaping and developing children's self-esteem. Research indicates that positive parenting styles, such as parental emotional warmth, can enhance the emotional well-being of children and adolescents. Conversely, negative parenting styles, including harsh parental punishment, denial, and over-protection, can hinder the development of self-esteem [7, 8] . Self-esteem is a relatively stable evaluation of oneself by an individual, reflecting a positive or negative attitude towards oneself. It indicates the extent to which an individual perceives themselves as capable, important, successful, and valuable [9] . Some studies have found that individuals with high self-esteem tend to exhibit higher levels of positive mental health indicators and lower levels of negative mental health indicators [10] . Furthermore, self-esteem can serve as a protective factor against negative emotions [11] , and it has been shown to have a negative predictive effect on such emotions [12] . This study investigates the relationships among middle school students' self-esteem, parenting styles, and negative emotions, including depression, anxiety, and study stress. It hypothesizes that parental styles influence children's negative emotions, which, in turn, affect the self-esteem levels of middle school students and their overall mental health. Previous research on the connections between parenting styles, negative emotions, and self-esteem among middle school students has been limited, often involving small and underrepresented sample sizes. Therefore, this study aims to examine these relationships within a larger population of middle school students in Anhui Province, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for adjusting family parenting styles and promoting the mental health of adolescents. 1. Objects and Methods 1.1 A combined online and offline survey method was employed to assess middle and high school students in a province. A total of 4,483 questionnaires were distributed, resulting in 4,340 valid responses, yielding an effectiveness rate of 96.81%. Questionnaires with missing values were excluded, leading to a final sample of 4,340 respondents. Among these, there were 2,536 boys (58.43%) and 1,804 girls (41.57%); 1,900 junior high school students (43.78%) and 2440 high school students (56.22%); 1,060 only children (24.42%) and 3,280 non-only children (75.58%). 1.2.1 Short-Form Egna Minnenav Barndoms Uppfostran (s-EMBU) The Short-form Parenting Style Questionnaire [ 13 ] , revised by Jiang Jiang et al. in 2010, comprises paternal and maternal parenting subscales. Each subscale encompasses three dimensions: "emotional warmth," "rejection," and "overprotection," with a total of 21 items per dimension, resulting in an overall total of 42 items. The questionnaire employs a four-level scoring system, where "never" is assigned 1 point, "occasionally" is assigned 2 points, "often" is assigned 3 points, and "always" is assigned 4 points. Notably, Question 15 is reverse scored. This scale demonstrates strong reliability and validity, adhering to the standards of psychological measurement. 1.2.2 Negative Emotions: Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Self-Rating Scale (DASS-21) The DASS-21 is a revised and simplified version of the original DASS [ 14 ] . It maintains the dimensions of the original scale while providing a more concise assessment. Each of the three subscales—depression, anxiety, and stress—consists of 7 questions, resulting in a total of 21 items. The scale employs a 4-point scoring system ranging from 0 to 3, where 0 indicates 'not consistent' and 3 indicates 'most consistent' or 'completely consistent.' The score for each subscale is calculated by summing the 7 individual scores and then multiplying by 2, yielding a subscale score that ranges from 0 to 42. Higher scores correspond to more severe levels of depression, anxiety, or stress, indicating a greater intensity of negative emotions. 1.2.3 Self-esteem Scale The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) [ 9 ] consists of a total of 10 questions, scored on a four-point Likert scale. Questions 1, 2, 4, 6, and 7 are reverse scored, while questions 3, 5, 8, 9, and 10 are scored positively. Notably, in consideration of the cultural differences between China and the West [ 15 ] , the eighth question is treated as a positively scored item. Participants select responses that best reflect their circumstances, ranging from 'very consistent' to 'very inconsistent.' The total score can range from 10 to 40 points, with higher scores indicating a greater level of self-esteem. 2. Result 2.1 Common Variance Deviation Test. Harman's single-factor test was conducted on the data. The results of the unrotated principal component factor analysis indicated that the characteristic roots of a total of 18 factors were greater than 1, with the first factor explaining only 19.18% of the total variance. This finding suggests that there is no significant commonality present in this study, indicating potential method bias. 2.2 Analysis of the Current Situation and Demographic Differences in Parenting Styles of Middle School Students. The results indicate that middle school students of different genders exhibit statistically significant differences in the dimensions of paternal rejection and overprotection. Additionally, the analysis reveals that only children show statistically significant differences in the dimensions of both paternal and maternal emotional warmth, as well as maternal rejection. With the exception of maternal emotional warmth, the differences in other dimensions between middle and high school students were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Refer to Table 1 . Table 1 Comparison of parenting styles in different demographic characteristics (M ± SD) Grope Father Refuse Mother Refuse Father Emotional warmth Mother Emotional warmth Father overprotection Mother overprotection SEX Boy 8.10 ± 2.66 8.19 ± 2.67 17.93 ± 5.05 18.53 ± 4.96 15.38 ± 3.65 16.04 ± 3.83 Girl 7.72 ± 2.28 8.13 ± 2.58 18.03 ± 4.92 18.74 ± 4.9 15.04 ± 3.71 15.94 ± 4.04 t 5.025 0.704 -0.657 -1.402 2.951 0.833 p <0.001 0.482 0.511 0.161 0.003 0.405 Only Child Yes 7.87 ± 2.41 8.00 ± 2.49 18.25 ± 5.20 18.95 ± 5.12 15.23 ± 3.62 15.95 ± 3.86 No 7.96 ± 2.55 8.21 ± 2.68 17.88 ± 4.92 18.51 ± 4.87 15.24 ± 3.70 16.01 ± 3.93 t -1.054 -2.390 2.006 2.551 -0.110 -0.414 p 0.292 0.017 0.045 0.011 0.912 0.679 Grade Junior 8.13 ± 2.76 8.39 ± 2.92 17.74 ± 5.20 18.45 ± 5.17 14.99 ± 3.70 15.78 ± 3.94 Senior 7.79 ± 2.30 7.99 ± 2.38 18.16 ± 4.82 18.74 ± 4.74 15.44 ± 3.65 16.16 ± 3.89 t 4.291 4.886 -2.719 -1.942 -3.976 -3.180 p <0.001 <0.001 0.007 0.052 <0.001 0.001 2.3 Analysis of Differences in Self-Esteem Levels, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Among Middle School Students in Different Categories. Statistically significant differences exist in anxiety and stress scores among middle school students of different genders, with girls exhibiting higher levels than boys. Conversely, boys demonstrate higher self-esteem compared to girls (P < 0.05). Additionally, the analysis seeks to determine whether there are statistically significant differences in self-esteem levels among only children. There are significant variations in depression, anxiety, stress, and self-esteem levels across different student categories. Notably, junior high school students report lower negative emotions and higher self-esteem levels (P < 0.05). Refer to Table 2 . Table 2 To compare depression, anxiety, stress and self-esteem of students with different demographic characteristics(M ± SD) Grope Depression Anxiety Stress Self-esteem Sex Boy 5.79 ± 6.60 7.12 ± 6.37 7.78 ± 7.27 29.37 ± 5.23 Girl 6.16 ± 6.60 8.34 ± 6.89 8.49 ± 7.24 28.65 ± 5.19 t -1.842 -5.936 -3.218 4.509 p 0.066 <0.001 0.001 <0.001 Only Child Yes 5.85 ± 6.92 7.27 ± 6.70 8.06 ± 7.65 29.58 ± 5.26 No 5.97 ± 6.49 7.74 ± 6.59 8.08 ± 7.14 28.91 ± 5.21 t -0.492 -2.029 -0.078 3.628 p 0.623 0.046 0.938 <0.001 Grade Junior 5.04 ± 6.15 6.81 ± 6.51 6.87 ± 6.83 29.29 ± 5.28 Senior 6.65 ± 6.85 8.27 ± 6.63 9.01 ± 7.46 28.90 ± 5.18 t -8.100 -7.254 -9.844 2.463 p <0.001 <0.001 <0.001 0.014 , , 2.4 Analysis of the Correlation Between Parenting Styles and Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Self-Esteem. Parenting style is significantly correlated with negative emotions and self-esteem levels. Specifically, parental rejection and overprotection exhibit a significant positive correlation with negative emotions and a significant negative correlation with self-esteem levels. Conversely, parental emotional warmth is significantly negatively correlated with negative emotions and shows a significant positive correlation with self-esteem levels (P < 0.01). Refer to Table 3 . Table 3 Correlation analysis of parental rearing style with negative emotion and self-esteem( r ) Depression Anxiety Stress Self-esteem Depression 1.000 0.745** 0.744** -0.533** Anxiety 0.745** 1.000 0.801** -0.421** Stress 0.744** 0.801** 1.000 -0.412** Self-esteem -0.533** -0.421** -0.412** 1.000 Father Refuse 0.321** 0.299** 0.303** -0.269** Mother Refuse 0.337** 0.332** 0.318** -0.270** Father Emotional warmth -0.240** -0.159** -0.130** 0.378** Mother Emotional warmth -0.227** -0.143** -0.111** 0.368** Father overprotection 0.249** 0.286** 0.316** -0.163** Mother overprotection 0.277** 0.308** 0.331** -0.169** Attention: ** P<0.01 2.5 The Mediating Effect of Self-Esteem Between Parenting Style and Negative Emotions. 2.5.1 Measurement Model Test of Parenting Styles. This model posits that self-esteem mediates the relationship between parenting styles and negative emotions. To test this model, Mplus 7.4 was utilized to conduct confirmatory factor analysis and establish a structural equation model. The various fit indices are presented in Table 5 . The comparative fit index (CFI) is greater than 0.90, the Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) exceeds 0.90, and the standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) is less than 0.08, indicating a good model fit. The root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) is less than 0.05, which signifies a good fit; values between 0.08 and 0.10 indicate an average fit, while values greater than 0.10 suggest a poor fit [ 16 ] . A mediation model was constructed with the three types of parenting styles as independent variables, negative emotions as the dependent variable, and self-esteem as the mediating variable. A full path model was established, and path analysis was conducted using the maximum likelihood estimate (ML) method for model fitting. The results indicated that the mediation model based on parental emotional warmth and parental rejection was acceptable. Self-esteem exhibited a mediating effect between parental emotional warmth, parental rejection, and negative emotions, with the model fitting well. However, while self-esteem also mediated the relationship between parental overprotection and negative emotions, the model fit was poor. Refer to Table 4 . Table 4 Parenting styles Confirmatory factor analysis fit index χ 2 df CFI TLI SRMR RMSEA RMSEA90%CI Parental emotional warmth → self-esteem → negative emotions 48.571 4 0.997 0.990 0.018 0.051 (0.038,0.064) Parental rejection → self-esteem → negative emotions 53.581 4 0.996 0.987 0.015 0.053 (0.041,0.067) Parental overprotection → self-esteem → negative emotions 149.918 4 0.991 0.965 0.027 0.092 (0.079,0.105) 2.5.2 Test of the Mediating Effect of Self-Esteem Between Parenting Styles and Negative Emotions. The results of the mediation model test examining the relationship between parental emotional warmth, self-esteem, and negative emotions indicate that self-esteem partially mediates this relationship, with the mediating effect accounting for 82.91%. Each path coefficient is statistically significant, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The results of the mediation model tests concerning parental rejection, self-esteem, and negative emotions indicate that self-esteem partially mediates the relationship between parental rejection and negative emotions, with the mediating effect accounting for 34.10%. Each path coefficient is statistically significant, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The results of the mediation model test examining the relationship between parental overprotection, self-esteem, and negative emotions indicate that self-esteem partially mediates the relationship between parental overprotection and negative emotions, with the mediating effect accounting for 18.40%. Each path coefficient is statistically significant, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The parenting style characterized by parental emotional warmth and parental rejection negatively predicts negative emotions through the partial mediating role of self-esteem. Conversely, the parenting style of parental overprotection positively predicts negative emotions, also through the partial mediating role of self-esteem. However, the structural equation model does not demonstrate a good fit. Notably, the total effect, direct effect, and indirect effect of self-esteem within the mediation model of parenting style and negative emotions all exhibit statistically significant differences (P < 0.01). The model path coefficients are presented in Table 5 . Table 5 The mediating role of self-esteem between parenting styles and negative emotions Path Effect Ratio(%) Standardized effect S.E. Bootstrap 95%CI lower upper Emotional Warmth -Self esteem-Negative emotions Emotional Warmth - Negative emotions(Total effect) 100.00 -0.275 0.017 -0.308 -0.241 Emotional Warmth-Negative emotions(Direct effect) 17.09 -0.047 0.018 -0.084 -0.012 Emotional Warmth-Self esteem-Negative emotions(Indirect effect) 82.91 -0.228 0.012 -0.252 -0.206 Refuse-Self esteem-Negative emotions Refuse-Negative emotions(Total effect) 100.00 0.464 0.023 0.417 0.508 Refuse-Negative emotions(Direct effect) 65.90 0.300 0.020 0.254 0.346 Refuse-Self esteem-Negative emotions(Indirect effect) 34.10 0.164 0.010 0.144 0.184 Overprotection - Self esteem-negative emotions Overprotection -Negative emotions(Total effect) 100.00 0.377 0.023 0.331 0.422 Overprotection -Negative emotions(Direct effect) 81.60 0.275 0.021 0.233 0.315 Overprotection -Self esteem-Negative emotions(Indirect effect) 18.40 0.102 0.010 0.083 0.121 3. Discussion This study found that among middle school students, boys report feeling more rejected and overprotected by their fathers than girls. This finding is consistent with the research results of Zhu Zhihong [ 17 ] . A possible explanation is that fathers often adopt a "red face" role in family education, necessitating careful discipline with greater authority for boys. Gender role social theory suggests that there are inherent differences between boys and girls in their perceptions of parental upbringing. Furthermore, the incidence rates of stress, anxiety, and depression among high school students are significantly higher than those among junior high school students, aligning with the findings of Liu Sa's study [ 18 ] . Additional research has also indicated that negative emotions, such as anxiety and depression, increase significantly from early to late adolescence [ 19 ] , highlighting adolescence as a critical period during which the risk of negative emotions escalates. The predictive effect of parenting styles on negative emotions among middle school students: This study constructed a mediation model to examine the relationship between self-esteem, different parenting styles, and negative emotions. The findings indicate that various parenting styles exert distinct effects on negative emotions. Specifically, parental emotional warmth is linked to reduced negative emotions, while parental rejection and overprotection are positively correlated with increased negative emotions among middle school students, aligning with the research results of Yang Zhihui [ 20 ] . Additional studies suggest [ 21 ] that an emotionally warm parenting style fosters a sense of familial support, enhancing middle school students' self-regulation abilities in the face of setbacks, which in turn helps them navigate challenges in both academic and personal contexts. Conversely, parental rejection and overprotective parenting styles can lead to diminished familial recognition and a reduced capacity to cope with difficulties. Research indicates [ 22 ] that children raised in a rejecting family environment are more likely to experience feelings of inferiority and develop withdrawn personalities. Furthermore, an overprotective parenting style may leave children feeling helpless when confronted with challenges, leading them to rely on their parents for problem-solving rather than developing their own strategies. During the middle school years, students frequently encounter various life and academic challenges. At this stage, the limited support parents can offer may intensify students' feelings of pressure, potentially resulting in heightened levels of depression and anxiety. Parenting Style and Self-Esteem: This study demonstrates that parental rejection and overprotection are negatively correlated with self-esteem levels, while parental emotional warmth is positively correlated with self-esteem. In other words, higher levels of rejection and overprotection in parenting are associated with lower self-esteem in children, whereas greater emotional warmth is linked to higher self-esteem. These findings align with the results of numerous studies [ 8 , 23 – 25 ] . Additionally, research indicates that parenting style is a significant predictor of self-esteem [ 26 ] . Parents serve as the primary figures with whom individuals interact from early childhood, and their parenting styles significantly influence the formation and development of children's self-esteem. Furthermore, parenting style constitutes a crucial aspect of the family environment; children raised in warm and harmonious family settings tend to exhibit higher levels of self-esteem. Self-esteem and negative emotions: This study demonstrates that self-esteem can negatively predict negative emotions, aligning with the findings of Tong Jiani [ 1 ] . A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies indicates that self-esteem is significantly inversely related to depression [ 27 ] . Furthermore, results from cross-lagged longitudinal studies reveal that self-esteem predicts depression, whereas depression does not predict self-esteem [ 28 ] . One possible explanation for this phenomenon is that individuals with low self-esteem tend to focus more on their shortcomings, leading to heightened negative emotions [ 29 ] . In contrast, individuals with high self-esteem are more likely to attribute failures to external factors and maintain positive self-evaluations, which helps them avoid self-doubt when facing setbacks [ 30 ] . This study demonstrates that self-esteem serves as a partial mediator between parental emotional warmth, parental rejection in parenting styles, and negative emotions, aligning with the findings of Peng Biao [ 24 ] . Previous research has indicated that self-esteem mediates the relationship between negative parenting styles and depression [ 31 , 32 ] . In families characterized by a rejecting parenting style, parents often exhibit high levels of authoritarianism, which can lead to low self-esteem, diminished emotional intelligence, and a reduced quality of life in adolescents [ 33 ] . Conversely, an emotionally warm parenting style fosters a more harmonious family environment, promoting positive interactions among family members, which in turn enhances children's self-esteem and mitigates negative emotions. However, this study reveals that the mediating model of self-esteem between parental overprotection and negative emotions demonstrates a poor fit. This may be attributed to the polarizing effect of overprotective parenting on children's self-esteem levels, as parental overprotection is linked to lower self-esteem. Further research is needed to explore this model. Declarations Data availability Because of ethical committee constraints, none of the data collected or analyzed during this study are publicly available. However, the corresponding authors may make the data available upon reasonable request. Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank all participants. Author contributions LH，YSY, and YLJ designed the study; LH drafted the manuscript; ZYP,LJZ and JJX carried out the analysis and interpreted the results; JW, YCL,NL and JJZ collected the data. YRZ, PC and LH reviewed the paper for intellectual content; all authors reviewed the final manuscript and gave their consent. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests. Ethical approval The Wannan Medical College’s School of Public Health ethics committee granted this study ethics permission. When filling out the online form, each participant provided written informed consent, as did their parents or legal guardian(s) if they were study participants under the age of sixteen. All methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations (in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki). Fund: Young and Middle-aged Scientific Research Fund of Wannan Medical College in 2021 (NO.WK202112); Talents Project for Reserve Candidates of Academic Leaders of Wannan Medical College (No. [2021]46);A prospective cohort and intervention study on the influence of lifestyle on the mental health of enterprise employees: a case study of some enterprises in Wuhu city(Humanities and Social Science Research Project of Anhui Province in 2022,(NO.2022AH051200); Wuhu Science and Technology Project (NO.2023yf103). References jiani, T. O. N. G. & Long, H. 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College","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ning","middleName":"","lastName":"Li","suffix":""},{"id":465415202,"identity":"cd03460c-d3a0-4a47-ab0f-bca1ce933eaa","order_by":2,"name":"Weiwei Chang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Wannan Medical College","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Weiwei","middleName":"","lastName":"Chang","suffix":""},{"id":465415203,"identity":"73b50d4b-1194-4e6c-b3b4-b27e1580afe0","order_by":3,"name":"Zhiyin Pan","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Wannan Medical College","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Zhiyin","middleName":"","lastName":"Pan","suffix":""},{"id":465415204,"identity":"8948cc75-7401-4834-8f25-d54e7b07e363","order_by":4,"name":"Jiajie Xiong","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Wannan Medical College","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jiajie","middleName":"","lastName":"Xiong","suffix":""},{"id":465415205,"identity":"8a798ae5-90b3-462b-8505-edbb4267034b","order_by":5,"name":"Lijun Zhu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Wannan Medical College","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Lijun","middleName":"","lastName":"Zhu","suffix":""},{"id":465415206,"identity":"2c9cf6d6-ecfa-4481-96fa-0c80bc87dc80","order_by":6,"name":"Jie Wang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Wannan Medical College","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jie","middleName":"","lastName":"Wang","suffix":""},{"id":465415207,"identity":"8f97737e-d0a0-47f7-951a-5880bf3947ba","order_by":7,"name":"YiChen Li","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Wannan Medical College","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"YiChen","middleName":"","lastName":"Li","suffix":""},{"id":465415209,"identity":"7120b337-7f79-4873-b122-35cce2b0e675","order_by":8,"name":"Jiajing Zhao","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Wannan Medical College","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jiajing","middleName":"","lastName":"Zhao","suffix":""},{"id":465415210,"identity":"4d9ba2b4-34f9-47a6-b9d7-47f08fde74bf","order_by":9,"name":"Yurui Zhou","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Wannan Medical College","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yurui","middleName":"","lastName":"Zhou","suffix":""},{"id":465415212,"identity":"6fb2704f-5d8c-473c-aa5d-6f56701b90d6","order_by":10,"name":"Ping Cheng","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ping","middleName":"","lastName":"Cheng","suffix":""},{"id":465415213,"identity":"f61374d7-d612-4d98-9eb0-4d2604fe3d4b","order_by":11,"name":"Yingshui Yao","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA9klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYLCCBCA2YGBsfADlGxCtpRmmlAgtUGVsEkRpMTh++JjEwx219uYSyW3VvDu2yTOwN2+TYKi5g1vLmbQ0icQzxxN3zkhsu8175rZhA8+xMgmGY89wazmQYyaR2HYsweAGUEtu2+0EBgmgCGPDYdxazr8Ba7EHaSkGa5F/Q0DLDbAtNYwbgFqYIbbw4NcieeNZskVi24HEDWceNkv/bbtt2MaTVmyRcAy3Fr7zyQdv/myrszc4nv7w48y22/L87Ic33vhQg1uLwgEGFmB0IClgAxEJODUwMMg3MDB/YGCow6NkFIyCUTAKRjwAAHwkXAAj1y2qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Wannan Medical College","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yingshui","middleName":"","lastName":"Yao","suffix":""},{"id":465415214,"identity":"9f85ee89-bf79-44eb-b170-254983ce8c31","order_by":12,"name":"Yuelong Jin","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Wannan Medical College","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yuelong","middleName":"","lastName":"Jin","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-04-27 09:38:06","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6539518/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6539518/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":84013158,"identity":"9d0f0786-a65d-4f93-950d-5213aa11a4ac","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-05 16:55:10","extension":"jpg","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":56034,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eSee image above for figure legend.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Figure1.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6539518/v1/a1fac5cefd59a5850debf3c8.jpg"},{"id":84013161,"identity":"68976bc0-cbc2-407b-be95-8c8baf140d51","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-05 16:55:10","extension":"jpg","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":52172,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eSee image above for figure legend.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Figure2.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6539518/v1/45159009258a15495177a062.jpg"},{"id":84013157,"identity":"13846485-f18a-44e7-9ceb-fcb808480419","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-06-05 16:55:10","extension":"jpg","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":48142,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eSee image above for figure legend.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Figure3.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6539518/v1/c19cf8d88ba3b01e9f7d78fe.jpg"},{"id":87981495,"identity":"fc168530-d597-4828-9582-6f1f71a81d04","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-07-31 06:09:15","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1240503,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6539518/v1/fcafaea0-76ea-4f73-bda0-6314e9ae97aa.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"The impact of parenting styles on middle school students’ negative emotions: the mediating role of self-esteem","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe middle school stage is critical for the formation of adolescents' values and serves as an essential period for personal growth and development. At this stage, students often experience an imbalance in their psychological and physical development, which results in a high incidence of mental health issues among them \u003csup\u003e[1, 2]\u003c/sup\u003e. Of the 1.2 billion adolescents aged 10 to 19 worldwide, approximately 16% suffer from illnesses and injuries related to mental health problems \u003csup\u003e[3]\u003c/sup\u003e. Furthermore, those with severe psychological issues exhibit pronounced suicidal tendencies \u003csup\u003e[4]\u003c/sup\u003e. Negative emotions are typically responses to adverse living environments, with depression, anxiety, and stress being commonly recognized predictors \u003csup\u003e[5]\u003c/sup\u003e. Additionally, individual mental health development is significantly influenced by parental parenting styles.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParenting style is a stable behavioral framework that encompasses parents’ concepts of parenting, their behaviors, and the emotional expressions they convey towards their children\u003csup\u003e[6]\u003c/sup\u003e. Parents are significant figures who engage most closely with individuals from early life onward. Parenting styles play a crucial role in shaping and developing children's self-esteem. Research indicates that positive parenting styles, such as parental emotional warmth, can enhance the emotional well-being of children and adolescents. Conversely, negative parenting styles, including harsh parental punishment, denial, and over-protection, can hinder the development of self-esteem \u003csup\u003e[7, 8]\u003c/sup\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSelf-esteem is a relatively stable evaluation of oneself by an individual, reflecting a positive or negative attitude towards oneself. It indicates the extent to which an individual perceives themselves as capable, important, successful, and valuable \u003csup\u003e[9]\u003c/sup\u003e. Some studies have found that individuals with high self-esteem tend to exhibit higher levels of positive mental health indicators and lower levels of negative mental health indicators \u003csup\u003e[10]\u003c/sup\u003e. Furthermore, self-esteem can serve as a protective factor against negative emotions \u003csup\u003e[11]\u003c/sup\u003e, and it has been shown to have a negative predictive effect on such emotions \u003csup\u003e[12]\u003c/sup\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study investigates the relationships among middle school students' self-esteem, parenting styles, and negative emotions, including depression, anxiety, and study stress. It hypothesizes that parental styles influence children's negative emotions, which, in turn, affect the self-esteem levels of middle school students and their overall mental health. Previous research on the connections between parenting styles, negative emotions, and self-esteem among middle school students has been limited, often involving small and underrepresented sample sizes. Therefore, this study aims to examine these relationships within a larger population of middle school students in Anhui Province, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for adjusting family parenting styles and promoting the mental health of adolescents.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"1. Objects and Methods","content":"\u003cp\u003e1.1 A combined online and offline survey method was employed to assess middle and high school students in a province. A total of 4,483 questionnaires were distributed, resulting in 4,340 valid responses, yielding an effectiveness rate of 96.81%. Questionnaires with missing values were excluded, leading to a final sample of 4,340 respondents. Among these, there were 2,536 boys (58.43%) and 1,804 girls (41.57%); 1,900 junior high school students (43.78%) and 2440 high school students (56.22%); 1,060 only children (24.42%) and 3,280 non-only children (75.58%).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec2\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e1.2.1 Short-Form Egna Minnenav Barndoms Uppfostran (s-EMBU)\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Short-form Parenting Style Questionnaire\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e, revised by Jiang Jiang et al. in 2010, comprises paternal and maternal parenting subscales. Each subscale encompasses three dimensions: \"emotional warmth,\" \"rejection,\" and \"overprotection,\" with a total of 21 items per dimension, resulting in an overall total of 42 items. The questionnaire employs a four-level scoring system, where \"never\" is assigned 1 point, \"occasionally\" is assigned 2 points, \"often\" is assigned 3 points, and \"always\" is assigned 4 points. Notably, Question 15 is reverse scored. This scale demonstrates strong reliability and validity, adhering to the standards of psychological measurement.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e1.2.2 Negative Emotions: Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Self-Rating Scale (DASS-21)\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe DASS-21 is a revised and simplified version of the original DASS \u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e. It maintains the dimensions of the original scale while providing a more concise assessment. Each of the three subscales\u0026mdash;depression, anxiety, and stress\u0026mdash;consists of 7 questions, resulting in a total of 21 items. The scale employs a 4-point scoring system ranging from 0 to 3, where 0 indicates 'not consistent' and 3 indicates 'most consistent' or 'completely consistent.' The score for each subscale is calculated by summing the 7 individual scores and then multiplying by 2, yielding a subscale score that ranges from 0 to 42. Higher scores correspond to more severe levels of depression, anxiety, or stress, indicating a greater intensity of negative emotions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e1.2.3 Self-esteem Scale\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) \u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e consists of a total of 10 questions, scored on a four-point Likert scale. Questions 1, 2, 4, 6, and 7 are reverse scored, while questions 3, 5, 8, 9, and 10 are scored positively. Notably, in consideration of the cultural differences between China and the West \u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e, the eighth question is treated as a positively scored item. Participants select responses that best reflect their circumstances, ranging from 'very consistent' to 'very inconsistent.' The total score can range from 10 to 40 points, with higher scores indicating a greater level of self-esteem.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"2. Result","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.1 Common Variance Deviation Test.\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eHarman's single-factor test was conducted on the data. The results of the unrotated principal component factor analysis indicated that the characteristic roots of a total of 18 factors were greater than 1, with the first factor explaining only 19.18% of the total variance. This finding suggests that there is no significant commonality present in this study, indicating potential method bias.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.2 Analysis of the Current Situation and Demographic Differences in Parenting Styles of Middle School Students.\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe results indicate that middle school students of different genders exhibit statistically significant differences in the dimensions of paternal rejection and overprotection. Additionally, the analysis reveals that only children show statistically significant differences in the dimensions of both paternal and maternal emotional warmth, as well as maternal rejection. With the exception of maternal emotional warmth, the differences in other dimensions between middle and high school students were statistically significant (P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). Refer to Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eComparison of parenting styles in different demographic characteristics (M\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;SD)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"8\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGrope\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFather Refuse\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMother\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRefuse\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFather\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmotional warmth\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMother\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmotional warmth\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFather\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eoverprotection\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMother\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eoverprotection\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSEX\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBoy\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.10\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.66\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.19\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.93\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.05\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.53\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.96\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15.38\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.65\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e16.04\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.83\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGirl\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.72\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.28\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.13\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.58\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.03\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.92\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.74\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15.04\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.71\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15.94\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.04\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003et\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.025\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.704\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.657\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-1.402\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.951\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.833\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;0.001\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.482\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.511\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.161\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.003\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.405\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOnly Child\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.87\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.41\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.00\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.49\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.25\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.95\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15.23\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.62\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15.95\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.86\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.96\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.55\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.21\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.68\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.88\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.92\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.51\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.87\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15.24\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.70\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e16.01\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.93\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003et\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-1.054\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-2.390\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.006\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.551\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.110\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.414\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.292\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.017\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.045\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.011\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.912\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.679\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGrade\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eJunior\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.13\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.76\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.39\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.92\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.74\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.45\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.17\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14.99\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.70\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15.78\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.94\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSenior\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.79\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.30\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.99\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.38\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.16\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.82\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.74\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.74\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15.44\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.65\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e16.16\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.89\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003et\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.291\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.886\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-2.719\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-1.942\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-3.976\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-3.180\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;0.001\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;0.001\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.007\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.052\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;0.001\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.001\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.3 Analysis of Differences in Self-Esteem Levels, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Among Middle School Students in Different Categories.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eStatistically significant differences exist in anxiety and stress scores among middle school students of different genders, with girls exhibiting higher levels than boys. Conversely, boys demonstrate higher self-esteem compared to girls (P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). Additionally, the analysis seeks to determine whether there are statistically significant differences in self-esteem levels among only children. There are significant variations in depression, anxiety, stress, and self-esteem levels across different student categories. Notably, junior high school students report lower negative emotions and higher self-esteem levels (P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). Refer to Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e To compare depression, anxiety, stress and self-esteem of students with different demographic characteristics(M\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;SD)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGrope\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDepression\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnxiety\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStress\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSelf-esteem\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSex\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBoy\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.79\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.12\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6.37\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.78\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;7.27\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e29.37\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.23\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGirl\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.16\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.34\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6.89\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.49\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;7.24\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e28.65\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003et\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-1.842\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-5.936\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-3.218\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.509\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.066\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;0.001\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.001\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;0.001\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOnly Child\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eYes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.85\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6.92\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.27\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6.70\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.06\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;7.65\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e29.58\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.26\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.97\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6.49\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.74\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6.59\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.08\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;7.14\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e28.91\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.21\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003et\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.492\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-2.029\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.078\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.628\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.623\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.046\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.938\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;0.001\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGrade\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eJunior\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.04\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6.15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.81\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6.51\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.87\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6.83\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e29.29\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.28\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSenior\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.65\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6.85\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.27\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6.63\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.01\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;7.46\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e28.90\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.18\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003et\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-8.100\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-7.254\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-9.844\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.463\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;0.001\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;0.001\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;0.001\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.014\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003ctfoot\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"6\"\u003e, ,\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tfoot\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.4 Analysis of the Correlation Between Parenting Styles and Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Self-Esteem.\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eParenting style is significantly correlated with negative emotions and self-esteem levels. Specifically, parental rejection and overprotection exhibit a significant positive correlation with negative emotions and a significant negative correlation with self-esteem levels. Conversely, parental emotional warmth is significantly negatively correlated with negative emotions and shows a significant positive correlation with self-esteem levels (P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.01). Refer to Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCorrelation analysis of parental rearing style with negative emotion and self-esteem( r )\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDepression\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnxiety\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStress\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSelf-esteem\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDepression\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.000\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.745**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.744**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.533**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnxiety\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.745**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.000\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.801**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.421**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStress\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.744**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.801**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.000\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.412**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSelf-esteem\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.533**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.421**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.412**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.000\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFather Refuse\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.321**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.299**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.303**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.269**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMother Refuse\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.337**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.332**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.318**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.270**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFather Emotional warmth\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.240**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.159**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.130**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.378**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMother Emotional warmth\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.227**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.143**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.111**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.368**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFather overprotection\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.249**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.286**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.316**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.163**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMother overprotection\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.277**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.308**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.331**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.169**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003ctfoot\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"5\"\u003eAttention: ** P\u0026lt;0.01\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tfoot\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec9\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.5 The Mediating Effect of Self-Esteem Between Parenting Style and Negative Emotions.\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec10\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.5.1 Measurement Model Test of Parenting Styles.\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis model posits that self-esteem mediates the relationship between parenting styles and negative emotions. To test this model, Mplus 7.4 was utilized to conduct confirmatory factor analysis and establish a structural equation model. The various fit indices are presented in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e. The comparative fit index (CFI) is greater than 0.90, the Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) exceeds 0.90, and the standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) is less than 0.08, indicating a good model fit. The root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) is less than 0.05, which signifies a good fit; values between 0.08 and 0.10 indicate an average fit, while values greater than 0.10 suggest a poor fit \u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e. A mediation model was constructed with the three types of parenting styles as independent variables, negative emotions as the dependent variable, and self-esteem as the mediating variable. A full path model was established, and path analysis was conducted using the maximum likelihood estimate (ML) method for model fitting. The results indicated that the mediation model based on parental emotional warmth and parental rejection was acceptable. Self-esteem exhibited a mediating effect between parental emotional warmth, parental rejection, and negative emotions, with the model fitting well. However, while self-esteem also mediated the relationship between parental overprotection and negative emotions, the model fit was poor. Refer to Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eParenting styles Confirmatory factor analysis fit index\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"8\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eχ\u003c/em\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cem\u003e2\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003edf\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eCFI\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eTLI\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSRMR\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eRMSEA\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eRMSEA90%CI\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eParental emotional warmth \u0026rarr; self-esteem \u0026rarr; negative emotions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e48.571\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.997\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.990\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.018\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.051\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.038,0.064)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eParental rejection \u0026rarr; self-esteem \u0026rarr; negative emotions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e53.581\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.996\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.987\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.015\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.053\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.041,0.067)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eParental overprotection \u0026rarr; self-esteem \u0026rarr; negative emotions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e149.918\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.991\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.965\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.027\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.092\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e(0.079,0.105)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.5.2 Test of the Mediating Effect of Self-Esteem Between Parenting Styles and Negative Emotions.\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe results of the mediation model test examining the relationship between parental emotional warmth, self-esteem, and negative emotions indicate that self-esteem partially mediates this relationship, with the mediating effect accounting for 82.91%. Each path coefficient is statistically significant, as illustrated in Fig.\u0026nbsp;1.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe results of the mediation model tests concerning parental rejection, self-esteem, and negative emotions indicate that self-esteem partially mediates the relationship between parental rejection and negative emotions, with the mediating effect accounting for 34.10%. Each path coefficient is statistically significant, as illustrated in Fig.\u0026nbsp;2.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe results of the mediation model test examining the relationship between parental overprotection, self-esteem, and negative emotions indicate that self-esteem partially mediates the relationship between parental overprotection and negative emotions, with the mediating effect accounting for 18.40%. Each path coefficient is statistically significant, as illustrated in Fig.\u0026nbsp;3.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe parenting style characterized by parental emotional warmth and parental rejection negatively predicts negative emotions through the partial mediating role of self-esteem. Conversely, the parenting style of parental overprotection positively predicts negative emotions, also through the partial mediating role of self-esteem. However, the structural equation model does not demonstrate a good fit. Notably, the total effect, direct effect, and indirect effect of self-esteem within the mediation model of parenting style and negative emotions all exhibit statistically significant differences (P\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.01). The model path coefficients are presented in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab5\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 5\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe mediating role of self-esteem between parenting styles and negative emotions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePath\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEffect Ratio(%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStandardized effect\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eS.E.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBootstrap 95%CI\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003elower\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eupper\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmotional Warmth -Self esteem-Negative emotions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmotional Warmth - Negative emotions(Total effect)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.275\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.017\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.308\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.241\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmotional Warmth-Negative emotions(Direct effect)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.09\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.047\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.018\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.084\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.012\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmotional Warmth-Self esteem-Negative emotions(Indirect effect)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e82.91\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.228\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.012\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.252\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-0.206\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRefuse-Self esteem-Negative emotions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRefuse-Negative emotions(Total effect)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.464\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.023\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.417\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.508\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRefuse-Negative emotions(Direct effect)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e65.90\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.300\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.020\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.254\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.346\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRefuse-Self esteem-Negative emotions(Indirect effect)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e34.10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.164\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.010\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.144\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.184\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOverprotection - Self esteem-negative emotions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOverprotection -Negative emotions(Total effect)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.377\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.023\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.331\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.422\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOverprotection -Negative emotions(Direct effect)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e81.60\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.275\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.021\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.233\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.315\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOverprotection -Self esteem-Negative emotions(Indirect effect)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.102\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.010\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.083\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.121\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"3. Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study found that among middle school students, boys report feeling more rejected and overprotected by their fathers than girls. This finding is consistent with the research results of Zhu Zhihong \u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e. A possible explanation is that fathers often adopt a \"red face\" role in family education, necessitating careful discipline with greater authority for boys. Gender role social theory suggests that there are inherent differences between boys and girls in their perceptions of parental upbringing. Furthermore, the incidence rates of stress, anxiety, and depression among high school students are significantly higher than those among junior high school students, aligning with the findings of Liu Sa's study \u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e. Additional research has also indicated that negative emotions, such as anxiety and depression, increase significantly from early to late adolescence \u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e, highlighting adolescence as a critical period during which the risk of negative emotions escalates.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe predictive effect of parenting styles on negative emotions among middle school students: This study constructed a mediation model to examine the relationship between self-esteem, different parenting styles, and negative emotions. The findings indicate that various parenting styles exert distinct effects on negative emotions. Specifically, parental emotional warmth is linked to reduced negative emotions, while parental rejection and overprotection are positively correlated with increased negative emotions among middle school students, aligning with the research results of Yang Zhihui \u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e. Additional studies suggest \u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e that an emotionally warm parenting style fosters a sense of familial support, enhancing middle school students' self-regulation abilities in the face of setbacks, which in turn helps them navigate challenges in both academic and personal contexts. Conversely, parental rejection and overprotective parenting styles can lead to diminished familial recognition and a reduced capacity to cope with difficulties. Research indicates \u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e that children raised in a rejecting family environment are more likely to experience feelings of inferiority and develop withdrawn personalities. Furthermore, an overprotective parenting style may leave children feeling helpless when confronted with challenges, leading them to rely on their parents for problem-solving rather than developing their own strategies. During the middle school years, students frequently encounter various life and academic challenges. At this stage, the limited support parents can offer may intensify students' feelings of pressure, potentially resulting in heightened levels of depression and anxiety.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eParenting Style and Self-Esteem: This study demonstrates that parental rejection and overprotection are negatively correlated with self-esteem levels, while parental emotional warmth is positively correlated with self-esteem. In other words, higher levels of rejection and overprotection in parenting are associated with lower self-esteem in children, whereas greater emotional warmth is linked to higher self-esteem. These findings align with the results of numerous studies \u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan additionalcitationids=\"CR24\" citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e\u0026ndash;\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e. Additionally, research indicates that parenting style is a significant predictor of self-esteem \u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e. Parents serve as the primary figures with whom individuals interact from early childhood, and their parenting styles significantly influence the formation and development of children's self-esteem. Furthermore, parenting style constitutes a crucial aspect of the family environment; children raised in warm and harmonious family settings tend to exhibit higher levels of self-esteem.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSelf-esteem and negative emotions: This study demonstrates that self-esteem can negatively predict negative emotions, aligning with the findings of Tong Jiani \u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e. A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies indicates that self-esteem is significantly inversely related to depression \u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e. Furthermore, results from cross-lagged longitudinal studies reveal that self-esteem predicts depression, whereas depression does not predict self-esteem \u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e. One possible explanation for this phenomenon is that individuals with low self-esteem tend to focus more on their shortcomings, leading to heightened negative emotions \u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e29\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e. In contrast, individuals with high self-esteem are more likely to attribute failures to external factors and maintain positive self-evaluations, which helps them avoid self-doubt when facing setbacks \u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study demonstrates that self-esteem serves as a partial mediator between parental emotional warmth, parental rejection in parenting styles, and negative emotions, aligning with the findings of Peng Biao \u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e. Previous research has indicated that self-esteem mediates the relationship between negative parenting styles and depression \u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e31\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e. In families characterized by a rejecting parenting style, parents often exhibit high levels of authoritarianism, which can lead to low self-esteem, diminished emotional intelligence, and a reduced quality of life in adolescents \u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e. Conversely, an emotionally warm parenting style fosters a more harmonious family environment, promoting positive interactions among family members, which in turn enhances children's self-esteem and mitigates negative emotions. However, this study reveals that the mediating model of self-esteem between parental overprotection and negative emotions demonstrates a poor fit. This may be attributed to the polarizing effect of overprotective parenting on children's self-esteem levels, as parental overprotection is linked to lower self-esteem. Further research is needed to explore this model.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData availability\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause of ethical committee constraints, none of the data collected or analyzed during this study are publicly available. However, the corresponding authors may make the data available upon reasonable request.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgements\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors would like to thank all participants.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor contributions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLH，YSY, and YLJ designed the study; LH drafted the manuscript; ZYP,LJZ and JJX carried out the analysis and interpreted the results; JW, YCL,NL and JJZ collected the data. YRZ, PC and LH reviewed the paper for intellectual content; all authors reviewed the final manuscript and gave their consent.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare no competing interests.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthical approval\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Wannan Medical College\u0026rsquo;s School of Public Health ethics committee granted this study ethics permission. When filling out the online form, each participant provided written informed consent, as did their parents or legal guardian(s) if they were study participants under the age of sixteen. All methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations (in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFund:\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003eYoung and Middle-aged Scientific Research Fund of Wannan Medical College in 2021 (NO.WK202112); Talents Project for Reserve Candidates of Academic Leaders of Wannan Medical College (No. [2021]46);A prospective cohort and intervention study on the influence of lifestyle on the mental health of enterprise employees: a case study of some enterprises in Wuhu city(Humanities and Social Science Research Project of Anhui Province in 2022,(NO.2022AH051200); Wuhu Science and Technology Project (NO.2023yf103).\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003ejiani, T. O. N. G. \u0026amp; Long, H. U. A. FEI suhai, et al. 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(2023).\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Parental rearing style, Mental health of middle school students, Self-esteem, Mediating effect","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6539518/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6539518/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003ePurpose\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study aims to explore the relationship and underlying mechanisms between middle school students' self-esteem, parenting styles, and negative emotions, providing a reference for effectively preventing and alleviating negative emotions among this demographic.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA questionnaire survey was conducted among students from the first to the third grade of high school in a province, utilizing the online Questionnaire Star platform alongside on-site surveys. A total of 4,483 valid questionnaires were collected. Questionnaires with missing values were excluded, resulting in a final sample of 4,340 questionnaires. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0 and Mplus 7.4 software, and a structural equation model was constructed to examine the relationships between self-esteem, parenting styles, and negative emotions.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e1) Parental rejection and overprotection positively predict negative emotions; 2) Parental emotional warmth negatively predicts negative emotions; 3) Self-esteem serves as a partial mediator between parental emotional warmth, parental rejection, and negative emotions.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusion\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA parenting style characterized by rejection diminishes students' self-esteem, thereby increasing the level of negative emotions. Conversely, a parenting style characterized by emotional warmth enhances students' self-esteem, thereby reducing the level of negative emotions.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"The impact of parenting styles on middle school students’ negative emotions: the mediating role of self-esteem","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-06-05 16:55:05","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6539518/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"79a36f2b-3d4b-48b8-94ac-72a552973561","owner":[],"postedDate":"June 5th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":49408371,"name":"Biological sciences/Physiology"},{"id":49408372,"name":"Health sciences/Health care"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-07-31T06:08:19+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-06-05 16:55:05","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-6539518","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-6539518","identity":"rs-6539518","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}