This research examined in China two types of parental minimization reactions to

adolescents' negative emotions: Devaluing/invalidating that degrades the significance

of adolescents' emotions (thereby invalidating adolescents' feelings) versus discounting/

mitigating that downplays the seriousness of the situations (thereby mitigating

adolescents' emotional arousals). Study 1 had 777 adolescents (389 females; mean

age = 12.79 years) complete a survey; Study 2 had 233 adolescents (111 females; mean

age = 12.19 years) complete a survey twice spanning around 6 months. Study 1 showed

adolescents' perceived maternal devaluing/invalidating and discounting/mitigating

reactions as two distinct factors, with different patterns of associations with other

supportive versus nonsupportive parenting practices. Study 2 showed that over time,

adolescents' perceived maternal devaluing/invalidating reactions predicted their dampened

socioemotional functioning; discounting/mitigating reactions predicted their enhanced

functioning.