Dimensions of harsh parenting and Chinese adolescents' internalizing problems: Roles of emotion regulation and neuroticism

Abstract Objective We aimed to differentiate the effect of psychological aggression and corporal punishment of harsh parenting on Chinese adolescents' internalizing problems through the mediating role of adolescents' maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies (MCERS) and the moderating role of neuroticism. Background Past research has linked harsh parenting to internalizing problems in adolescents but overlooked the unique role of different dimensions of harsh parenting and the corresponding pathways linked to adolescents' internalizing problems. Method A total of 530 Chinese families including both parents and their adolescents ( M age = 14.06; SD = 0.86; 52.8% girls and 47.2% boys) from a junior high school in northern mainland China participated in the study. Parents completed questionnaires on their use of corporal punishment and psychological aggression. Adolescents completed self‐reports on their MCERS, internalizing problems, and neuroticism. Results Results showed that psychological aggression indirectly affected Chinese adolescents' internalizing problems through MCERS, whereas corporal punishment did not show such an effect on adolescents' internalizing problems. Additionally, neuroticism moderated the relationship between MCERS and internalizing problems, such that adolescents with higher neuroticism were more vulnerable to the impact of MCERS. Conclusion The findings indicate that psychological aggression, but not corporal punishment, is associated with Chinese adolescents' MCERS and more internalizing problems, especially among adolescents who reported higher levels of neuroticism. Implications Prevention efforts, including school‐based intervention and family life education, should emphasize the adverse role of parents' psychological aggression in addressing adolescents' internalizing problems and particular attention should be given to adolescents who are higher on neuroticism.