The sequential mediating effect of empathy and parental efficacy in the happiness and parent-child relationship of mother with adolescent children

Objectives To analyze the sequential mediating effects of empathy and parental efficacy in the parent-child relationship and the happiness of middle-aged mothers with adolescent children, and to comprehensively examine the connection between them, and to use it as basic data for developing parent education and group counseling programs. Methods To this end, a structured questionnaire was conducted on 308 mothers with middle and high school children aged 40 to 59, and the survey data were used to verify whether mothers’ happiness sequentially mediates empathy and parental efficacy and affects parent-child relationships using SPSS 25.0 and SPSS PROCESS macro Model 6. Results First, there was a significant correlation between mothers’ happiness, parent-child relationships, empathy, and parental efficacy. Second, mothers’ happiness and empathy and parental efficacy in the parent-child relationship each had a partial mediating effect. Third, the sequential mediating effects of empathy and parental efficacy in the parent-child relationship were significant. Conclusions Not only did mothers’ happiness have a direct positive effect on the parent-child relationship, but mothers’ happiness also increased empathy, which in turn increased parental efficacy, which had a positive effect on the parent-child relationship. Research on mothers’ happiness in middle age and empathy and parental efficacy in the parent-child relationship in adolescence will be important basic data for the development of parent education and group counseling programs that help both parents and children develop and grow healthily.