This study examined the role of parenting practices on preschoolers’ secure exploratory behaviors; specifically, the extent to which parenting practices mediate the relationship between socio-economic status, perceived neighborhood support, parental depression and children’s exploratory behaviors. The participants (n = 3268) were parents of young children (M_age = 50.82 months; 50% identified as Latinx). Structural equation models revealed that parenting practices had a positive direct association with preschoolers’ secure exploration. Parental depression had a negative association with preschoolers’ secure exploration, whereas perceived neighborhood support and socio-economic status had positive associations with secure exploration. These associations were significantly mediated through parenting practices. The results demonstrate the crucial role parents play in fostering their child’s secure exploration by providing a secure base and exploratory experiences, and can inform policy and family education programs.

这项研究探讨了父母的教养方式对学龄前儿童安全探索行为的影响；具体来说，养育方式在多大程度上调节了社会经济地位、邻里支持感、父母抑郁和儿童探索行为之间的关系。参与者 ( n  = 3268) 是幼儿的父母（M_年龄 = 50.82 个月；50% 为拉丁裔）。结构方程模型显示，养育方式与学龄前儿童的安全探索有正向的直接关系。父母抑郁与学龄前儿童的安全探索呈负相关，而感知到的邻里支持和社会经济地位与安全探索呈正相关。这些关联在很大程度上是通过养育方式来调节的。研究结果表明，父母通过提供安全的基础和探索经验，在促进孩子安全探索方面发挥着至关重要的作用，并且可以为政策和家庭教育计划提供信息。