The role of self-esteem in the relationship between parental support and monitoring and adolescents’ social initiative among adolescents in mainland China

ABSTRACTPrevious literature demonstrates that parental support and parental monitoring play an essential role in adolescents’ social competence and their self-esteem. In addition, the relationship between self-esteem and adolescents’ social initiative has been examined. However, little is known about the underlying mechanism of the associations among parental support, parental monitoring, and social initiative. The purpose of this research project was to examine the role of self-esteem in the relationship between parental connection and adolescents’ social initiative among adolescents in mainland China. Self-report data were acquired for this research project from the 589 adolescents who attended secondary schools in Hangzhou and participated in the Cross-National Study of Adolescence. Results of structural equation modelling indicated that adolescents’ self-esteem mediated the association between paternal, not maternal, connection and adolescents’ social initiative. There was no direct effect between maternal connection to adolescents’ social initiative. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.