Early Parent-Child Bonding Enhances Mental Health and Prosocial Behavior, Study Reveals

A study involving over 10,000 children has highlighted the significance of nurturing warm and close relationships between parents and children in their early years. The research found that such relationships not only promote prosocial behavior in children but also protect against mental health difficulties as they grow. The study suggests that high-quality parent-child interactions, characterized by increased closeness and reduced conflict, are significant protective factors against mental health symptoms while fostering increased prosociality. On the other hand, physical and psychological maltreatment in parent-child relationships had detrimental effects, leading to greater mental health difficulties and reduced prosociality in children.