The Mediating Effect of Emotional Expressiveness on Parental Empathy and the Quality of Children’s Peer Relationships

Abstract

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to investigate associations between parental empathy andthe quality of children’s peer relationships, and examine the mediating effect of emotional expressivenesson the association between the two variables. Methods: Participants consisted of fifth and sixth grade elementary school children including 164boys and 145 girls in Seoul, Yongin and Suwon city. Children completed a parental empathy inventory,Emotional Expressiveness Questionnaire (EEQ), and the quality of peer relationship Network ofRelationships Inventory (NRI). The collected data were analyzed with SPSS and AMOS programs. Results: There was a significant correlation among parental empathy, emotional expressiveness, andthe quality of peer relationships. There was a mediating effect of emotional expressiveness betweena mother's empathy and the quality of children's peer relationships. There was no mediating effectof emotional expressiveness between a father's empathy and the quality of children's peer relationships. The father's empathy had a direct effect on the quality of children's peer relationships. Conclusion: The results of this study can serve as a resource for improving parental empathy, children’semotional expressiveness, and the quality of peer relationships, which play a significant role inchildren’s healthy development and school adaptation.