Abstract
BACKGROUND: Parents' parenting styles during early development play a crucial role in shaping various psychological attributes. While much research has focused on cognitive development and emotional regulation, the impact on self-concept formation in adolescence has remained underexplored. Additionally, existing studies neglected the mediating role of psychological resources, such as courage, in the intergenerational transmission of traits and risk factors. Courage (defined as mental strength) is integrated into DanQi, a TCM concept combining physiological and psychological resilience, providing a cross-cultural perspective. PURPOSE: The primary objective of this research is to explore the chain mediation effect of DanQi in the relationship between childhood parenting styles and self-concept in young adulthood. We have hypothesized that positive parenting styles during childhood indirectly influence the development of self-concept in young adulthood by fostering elevated levels of DanQi-conceptualized as boldness or courage-throughout adolescence and into early adulthood. METHODS: This research employed a quantitative, cross-sectional design, utilizing a stratified random sampling technique to survey urban populations across six major regions of China. Data were collected using subscales from the Wang Weidong Memory-Tracing Personality Developmental Inventory (WMPI), assessing parenting styles, courage, and self-concept across three developmental stages: childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. Data collection occurred between July and November 2016. A total of 6,539 valid responses were obtained. The statistical software used for data analysis was SPSS 25.0. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression, and mediation testing (PROCESS Model 6). RESULTS: The findings revealed significant positive associations between childhood parenting styles and DanQi in adolescence and young adulthood, as well as self-concept in young adulthood. Mediation analysis indicated that childhood parenting styles indirectly influenced the development of self-concept in young adulthood through adolescent DanQi and young adulthood DanQi. DanQi served as an important mediating factor in the chain of relationships. CONCLUSION: This research provides empirical evidence for the mediating role of DanQi in linking childhood parenting styles to the development of self-concept, underscoring the importance of early parenting in shaping long-term psychological outcomes.