Association between parents′ participation in accompanying picture book reading and preschool children′s emotional regulation ability / 中国儿童保健杂志

ABSTRACT

【Objective】 To analyze the association between preschool children′s emotional regulation ability and parents′ participation in accompanying picture book reading, in order to provide theoretical reference for improving children′s emotional regulation abilility. 【Methods】 From September to November 2022, preschool children aged 3 - 6 years from Guangfeng County, Yukan County, Wannian County, Yanshan County and Wuyuan County were selected by random cluster stratified sampling method. Mann-Whitney U test or Kruskal-Wallis H test were used to analyze the correlation of different levels of children′s emotional control ability with different demographic characteristics as well as parents′ participation in children′s picture book reading. Multivariate Logistic regression model was used to analyze the correlation between parents′ involvement in picture book reading and children′s emotional control ability. 【Results】 Finally 848 valid questionnaires were collected.The average age of children was (4.33±0.95)years old,with 432 boys and 416 girls. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the temperament control ability(>P75) of preschool children was positively correlated with mother being the main accompanying caregiver (OR=4.17, 95%CI: 2.13 - 8.17), and negatively correlated with father being the main accompanying caregiver (OR=0.38, 95%CI: 0.21 - 0.70) or both parents being the main accompanying caregivers (OR=0.14, 95%CI: 0.07 - 0.28)(P<0.05). The social confidence (father as the main caregiver OR=3.53, 95%CI:1.62 - 7.66; mother as the main caregiver OR=3.52, 95%CI: 1.66 - 7.45) and anxiety control abilities(father as the main caregiver OR=4.32, 95%CI: 1.85 - 10.09; mother as the main caregiver OR=3.39, 95%CI: 1.49 - 7.73) of preschool children were positively correlated with the type of accompanying caregiver(P<0.05). Additionally, the anxiety control ability (>P75) of preschool children was negatively correlated with father′s accompanying frequency (sometimes OR=0.09, 95%CI: 0.03 - 0.28; often OR=0.19, 95%CI: 0.06 - 0.60) and mother′s accompanying duration (<1h/d OR=0.33, 95%CI: 0.12 - 0.91) (P<0.05). 【Conclusions】 The frequency and duration of accompanying reading by father or mother are correlated with the emotional regulation ability of preschool children. Parents can moderately participate in picture book reading to promote the development of preschool children′s emotional control ability.