Life events and parent style for mental health in children: a cross-sectional study

Background Life events and parenting styles might play an important role in children's mental health. Aims This study aims to explore how life events and parenting styles influence children's mental health based on a Chinese sample. Methods A total of 3535 participants had at least one mental disorder (positive group), while a total of 3561 participants had no mental disorders (negative group). The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Check List (ASLEC) and Egna Minnen Betraffande Uppfostran (EMBU) were used for screening these two groups. Results CBCL total scores differed significantly by sex in the Positive group according to the Mann-Whitney tests (Z = -5.40, p < 0.001). Multiple regression analyses showed that the dimensions of punishment (p = 0.014) and other (p = 0.048) in the ASLEC scale can significantly predict CBCL total scores in the Positive group. Sex, age and overprotection from the father were risk factors (p < 0.001) according to binary logistic regression. Conclusions Life events and parenting styles may have impacts on mental health. Fathers play a very important role in children's growth. Punitive education and fathers' overprotection might be risk factors for children's mental health. Impact It is a large sample (3535) study of Chinese children and adolescents It provides evidence that life events and parenting styles have impacts on mental health and that fathers play a very important role in children's growth. It is conducive to the development of interventions for the mental health of children and adolescents.