Maternal gatekeeping influences young children’s social adaptability: The mediating role of father involvement

Although previous research has shown that maternal gatekeeping and father involvement are important factors that affect children’s social adaptability, there have been few studies on the mechanisms of their interaction. Thus, this study examined the impact of maternal gatekeeping on the social development of young children and the mediating role of father involvement between these aspects. For this purpose, we recruited a sample of 355 participants, comprising children aged 3–5 years and their parents, and asked them to complete three self-reported scales. We found that maternal gatekeeping exerted a dual influence on the social development of young children, not only by directly affecting children’s social adaptability, but also by indirectly influencing the development of such adaptability through the mediating effect of father involvement. Understanding maternal gatekeeping and its interplay with father involvement is paramount to fostering the social adaptation and mental well-being of preschoolers.