Abstract
It is widely believed that a mother’s emotional intelligence has a significant impact on a child’s emotional well‑being. The aim of the study was to establish significant relationships and identify differences in maternal emotional intelligence and children’s emotional well‑being. The study involved preschool children from senior kindergarten groups (n = 150), including 78 boys and 72 girls, as well as their mothers (n = 150). Valid, reliable, and representative instruments adapted for Kazakhstani samples were used. Positive correlations were identified between emotional well‑being and parent–child relationship parameters (p ≤ .050): “autonomy–control,” “emotional distance–closeness,”and “satisfaction with relations with the child,” along with one inverse correlation for “anxiety about the child.” The positive correlations reflect balance in the specified dimensions of parent–child relationships, whereas the inverse correlation indicates consequences of overprotection and excessive control over adherence to social norms. It was also found that emotional well‑being has two direct relationships with parameters of maternal emotional intelligence: “using emotions to achieve goals” and “emotion regulation” (p ≤ .010; p ≤ .050). The significant superiority in the “rejection–acceptance” parameter (p ≤ .050) indicates that this scale reflects the fundamental attitude toward the child — either acceptance or denial of personal qualities and behavioural manifestations. Balance on this scale is crucial for emotional well‑being, and accepting the child as an individual is a key condition for positive psycho‑emotional development and the formation of self‑esteem. In summary, these characteristics demonstrate the child’s ability to exhibit an adequate and socially appropriate level of psychological development.