Unlocking the Hidden Impact of Parents’ Sociocultural Level on Childhood Adaptive Behavior

Adaptive behavior comprises conceptual, social, and practical skills that individuals learn and express in their daily lives. Understanding the contextual factors that influence the development of adaptive behavior is crucial for the well-being of children. Using path analysis, we cross-sectionally examined the relations between Vineland-II adaptive behavior of Italian girls (n = 156) and boys (n = 149) aged 3–14 and parental sociocultural dimensions (socioeconomic status, cultural capital, social capital) with attended school year as a moderator. Mothers’ sociocultural level showed numerous and generally positive relations with their children’s adaptive behavior, whereas fathers’ sociocultural level exhibited fewer and more mixed relations. Furthermore, school year attended had direct negative effects on adaptive behavior and generally moderated in a positive or mixed way the relationships between parents’ sociocultural level and daughters’ and sons’ adaptive behavior, respectively. Policymakers should be aware of the relations between parental sociocultural level and their offspring’s adaptive behavior.