The mediating effect of self-regulated learning ability in the influence of a mother's overprotective parenting attitude on an infant's social competence

Objectives The purpose of this study is to investigate the mediating effect of self-regulated learning ability on the influence of mothers' overprotective parenting attitude on children's social competence. Methods This study used data from a survey of 308 children and mothers from early childhood education institutions in the Gyeonggi Province. Frequency analysis, exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, correlation analysis, and rarefaction analysis were performed using the SPSS18 program. In addition, a three-step mediation effect analysis suggested by Baron & Kenny (1986) was conducted to verify the research model, and a Sobel test was performed to confirm the significance of the mediation effect. Results As a result of this study, first, it was found that infringement among mothers' overprotective parenting attitudes had a significant negative correlation with infants' overall self-regulated learning ability and social competence. In other words, the more the mother infringes, the lower the infant's self-regulated learning ability and social competence. Second, as a result of analyzing the mediating effect of self-regulated learning ability in the process of the mother's overprotective parenting attitude affecting children's social competence, it was found that infringement of overprotective parenting attitude negatively affected children's self-regulated learning ability and social competence, and in this process, it was found that self-regulated learning ability had a mediating effect. Conclusions Through this study, it was confirmed that the infringement of the mother's overprotective parenting attitude negatively affects children's social competence, but self-regulated learning ability plays a mediating role and acts as a variable to increase social competence. These results suggest that in order to increase the social competence of infants, efforts are needed to avoid mothers' overprotective parenting attitude and enhance self-regulated learning abilities.