The quality of early parent-child relationship affects children’s later emotional development, social
competence and school performance (Caputi, Lecce, & Pagnin, 2017). Moreover, the perception of a warm
relationship with parents supports the use of adaptive social skills and approach-oriented coping strategies
(Chan, 2011). Children characterized by psychopathological symptoms are likely to experience difficulties in
social adjustment over time (Burt, Obradović, Long, & Masten, 2008) and typically present a dysfunctional
coping style (Seiffge-Krenke, Weidemann, Fentner, Aegenheister, & Poeblau, 2001). In turn, children
adopting maladaptive coping strategies usually have rejecting, ignoring, inconsistent, or punishing parents
(Chan, 2011).
