Parental Emotional Literacy as a Protective Factor Against Anxiety and Depression in Foundation Phase Children: An Integrative Conceptual Framework
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Judith Ngunan Age
Susan Thuketana
Abstract
Anxiety and depression during the foundation phase of childhood (ages 5–8) present developmental concerns that may affect children's emotional well-being, social relationships, and educational experiences. This study aims to develop an integrative conceptual framework explaining how parental emotional literacy may function as a protective factor against anxiety and depression in foundation phase children. Using a conceptual approach, the study synthesizes theoretical and empirical literature through the integration of attachment theory, social learning theory, and developmental psychopathology. The conceptual synthesis identifies four interconnected dimensions of parental emotional literacy: emotional awareness, emotional understanding, emotional expression, and emotional regulation. These dimensions are theoretically linked to four mechanisms of influence: neurobiological development, parent–child co-regulation, emotional socialization, and cognitive development. The proposed framework further identifies attachment security, emotional competence, social competence, and cognitive resilience as protective pathways potentially associated with reduced vulnerability to anxiety and depression. The synthesis highlights how emotionally responsive parenting, supportive communication, emotional modeling, and guided regulation may contribute to children's psychological well-being and adaptive development. The study concludes that parental emotional literacy provides a theoretically grounded foundation for developing preventive approaches within families, early childhood education, and school-based parental support programs. However, the proposed relationships require further empirical validation through longitudinal and intervention-based research.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Judith Ngunan Age, Susan Thuketana
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