Document Type : Research Article
Authors
Department of Psychology, Ahvaz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran
Abstract
Background: Intensive maternal parenting, while intended to foster academic achievement, has been linked to increased stress and anxiety in children. The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of maternal mental health in the correlation between intensive maternal attitudes and cognitive abilities in female students applying for the gifted exam.
Methods: The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional approach that incorporated the use of structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques. The target population comprised all female students applying for the ninth-grade gifted exam in Tehran, Iran during 2023, along with their mothers. A convenience sample of 301 student-mother dyads participated in the study by completing a battery of self-report questionnaires. These instruments included Cognitive Abilities Questionnaire (CAQ), Intensive Parenting Attitudes Questionnaire (IPAQ), and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). The hypothesized model was evaluated using SEM, and bootstrapping was employed to assess the significance of indirect correlations. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 27 and Amos version 25.
Results: The findings indicated a negative correlation between intensive maternal attitudes and students’ cognitive capabilities (P=0.020). There was also a significant negative correlation between intensive maternal attitudes and mothers’ mental health (P=0.001). The correlation between mothers’ mental health and girls’ cognitive abilities was positive and significant (P=0.001). The correlation between intensive maternal attitudes and students’ cognitive abilities was significant through the mediating role of mental health (P=0.005).
Conclusion: Intensive maternal parenting practices were associated with decreased cognitive abilities in students and poorer mental health in mothers. The negative effect of intensive maternal attitudes on cognitive abilities appears to be indirectly mediated by mothers’ mental health.
Keywords
)