The relationship between harsh parental upbringing and the psychological quality of middle school students: The role of lack of parental care as a链式中介因素 in affecting self-esteem

Objective: To investigate the impact of harsh parental upbringing on the psychological well-being of middle school students, as well as the role of lack of parental care and low self-esteem in mediating this relationship. Methods: Participants were selected using convenience sampling. Surveys were conducted using the Harsh Parenting Scale, questionnaires measuring middle school students’ psychological well-being, a questionnaire assessing the adverse conditions faced by children living with single parents, along with scales measuring self-esteem. A total of 2,166 middle school students participated in the survey. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression analysis were performed using SPSS 26.0. Additionally, the Model 6 of the PROCESS macro program was used, along with the Bootstrap method for bias correction (with 500 repeated samples).