The Effect of Parenting Sense of Competence on Emotional and Behavioral Adjustment of Children With Special Education Needs: A Chain Mediating Model

Purpose: This study examines the mechanism underlying the effect of parenting sense of competence (PSOC) on the emotional and behavioral adjustment of children with special education needs (SEN). Design/Approach/Methods: Convenience sampling method was used and 299 parents of children with SEN were surveyed using questionnaires. Amos 24.0 was used to perform the chain mediation analyses. Findings: The results showed that PSOC was positively associated with emotional and behavioral adjustment of children with SEN; parenting satisfaction negatively predicted the total difficulty of children with SEN and parenting efficacy positively affected prosocial behavior. Mediation analysis indicated that PSOC (parenting satisfaction and parenting efficacy) influenced prosocial behavior of children with SEN through parental involvement and the chain mediation effect of parenting stress and parental involvement. Originality/Value: This study reveals the different pathways that parenting satisfaction and parenting efficacy—the core dimensions of PSOC—affect the emotional and behavioral adjustment of children with SEN during the transition from kindergarten to primary school.