Intergenerational transmission of interpersonal strengths: The role of parent gender, family processes, and child characteristics

Interpersonal strengths are important positive traits of human beings. This study investigated the phenomenon and mechanisms of the intergenerational transmission of interpersonal strengths. A total of 992 fourth-to ninth-grade children (48.1% boys, Mage = 12.63) and both mothers and fathers in China were involved in the present study. The results showed that fathers' (but not mothers') interpersonal strengths were directly associated with children's interpersonal strengths. Different transmission mechanisms of mothers and fathers were found: mother-child relationships and fathers' parenting styles explained the association between parents' and children's interpersonal strengths and between marital relationships and children's interpersonal strengths. Consistent transmission effects and mechanisms were found across child grade, gender, and sibling status. The findings of the current study provide evidence of intergenerational correlations for both parents regarding interpersonal strengths. Parents (especially fathers) with interpersonal strengths can raise children with corresponding strengths through particular family processes regardless of child characteristics.