Abstract
BACKGROUND: A good family environment and rearing mode play important roles in children's physical and psychological growth. This study aims to clarify the specific influence of early family nurturing environment on children's emotional and social development through longitudinal observation to provide theoretical reference for promoting the healthy development of children's bodies and minds. METHODS: Overall, 1320 parents of children aged 2 to 6 yr old in Xinyang City, Henan Province in 2021, were selected by stratified sampling. The children's physical and mental development, family rearing environment and emotional and social development were investigated by questionnaire. RESULTS: 58.03% family rearing environment is good, 27.95% normal, and 14.02% bad. There were significant differences in positive rates of adaptive ability, social behavior, language, developmental quotient score and emotional sociality among children in different families (all P<0.05). Language/cognition was significantly positively correlated with adaptive ability, social behavior, language and developmental quotient (all P<0.05), and social adjustment/self-care was significantly positively correlated with adaptive ability, social behavior, language and developmental quotient (all P<0.05). Emotional warmth/environmental atmosphere was negatively correlated with implicit behavior and disorder and positively correlated with ability (all P<0.05). Language/cognition was positively correlated with explicit behavior and ability (all P<0.05). Social adjustment/self-care was negatively correlated with explicit behavior and positively correlated with ability (all P<0.05); Neglect/punishment was significantly negatively correlated with explicit behavior, implicit behavior and disorder and significantly positively correlated with ability (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The early family environment affects children's physical, mental, emotional and social development.