The Relation Between Family Intimacy and Preschoolers’ Social–Emotional Competence: The Mediating Role of Psychological Resilience and the Moderating Role of Family–Preschool Interaction

TL;DR

Family intimacy boosts preschoolers' social-emotional skills, especially when families and schools work closely together.

Contribution

This study identifies psychological resilience as a mediator and family–preschool interaction as a moderator in the link between family intimacy and children's social-emotional competence.

Findings

Family intimacy is positively linked to preschoolers' social–emotional competence both directly and through psychological resilience.

Frequent family–preschool interactions strengthen the relationship between family intimacy and psychological resilience.

Home–preschool partnerships are crucial for enhancing children's developmental outcomes.

Abstract

Social–emotional competence in early childhood is critical in shaping later academic achievement, interpersonal functioning, and long-term psychosocial development. While prior research has emphasized the importance of parenting practices, limited attention has been paid to how family dynamics and broader ecological interactions jointly contribute to this competence. Grounded in Social–Ecological Systems Theory, the present study investigated the association between family intimacy and preschoolers’ social–emotional competence, with psychological resilience as a mediator and family–preschool interaction as a moderator. A total of 2768 preschoolers aged 3 to 6 years from four provinces in China were assessed through parent-report questionnaires. Regression-based moderated mediation analyses revealed that family intimacy was positively associated with preschoolers’ social–emotional competence, directly and indirectly through psychological resilience. Moreover, family–preschool interaction moderated the pathway between family intimacy and psychological resilience, such that this association was stronger when family–preschool interactions were more frequent. These findings highlight the joint contribution of family relationships, individual strengths, and external developmental contexts to young children’s social–emotional development. Implications include supporting emotionally connected family environments, promoting resilience in early childhood, and strengthening home–preschool partnerships to foster holistic developmental outcomes.

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