Parent-reported children’s self-efficacy in linking family resources to preschoolers’ learning dispositions: a mixed-methods study

BACKGROUND: Preschoolers' learning dispositions are shaped by both family environments and child-level characteristics, but less is known about how these factors operate together in Chinese family contexts. This study examined how parenting self-efficacy, socioeconomic status, parenting arrangements, parental involvement, and parent-reported children's self-efficacy were associated with preschoolers' learning dispositions. METHODS: An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was used. In the quantitative phase, 481 parents from four kindergartens in northern and southern China completed questionnaires on family factors, parental involvement, parent-reported children's self-efficacy, and children's learning dispositions. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analyses, hierarchical regression analyses, and network analysis were conducted. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews with 23 purposively selected parents were analyzed using constructivist grounded theory to further interpret the quantitative findings. RESULTS: Hierarchical regression showed that parent-reported children's self-efficacy had the strongest association with learning dispositions in the final model, followed by parenting self-efficacy and parental involvement. The association between socioeconomic status and learning dispositions weakened after parental involvement and parent-reported children's self-efficacy were included. Network analysis further identified children's self-efficacy and home participation as important bridge nodes connecting family resources, parental involvement, and learning dispositions. Qualitative findings showed that family atmosphere, home-based participation, teacher feedback, and children's mastery experiences were linked to children's confidence, curiosity, initiative, and persistence. CONCLUSIONS: Children's self-efficacy emerged as a central child-level correlate linking family resources and parental involvement with preschoolers' learning dispositions. The findings suggest that supportive family interactions may be most relevant to learning dispositions when they are translated into children's observable confidence, initiative, and persistence in everyday learning activities.