Parenting and Turkish children’s behaviour problems: the moderating role of qualities of parent–child relationship

The current study is an examination of contributions of parenting styles and qualities of parent–child relationship (PCR) to Turkish children’s externalizing and internalizing behaviours, with a specific focus on the moderating role of PCR (closeness and conflict) on parenting styles (authoritarian and democratic/authoritative) when predicting children’s externalizing and internalizing behaviours. Participants were 94 children (56 boys) with the mean age of 7.05 years (SD?=?0.88) in a suburban district in Turkey. Mothers reported on their parenting styles and relationships with their children as well as children’s externalizing and internalizing behaviours. Results from regression analyses showed that parent–child closeness significantly moderated the association between authoritarian parenting and children’s externalizing behaviours. Parent–child conflict significantly moderated the association between authoritarian parenting and children’s internalizing behaviours. The parent–child conflict was positively associated with children’s externalizing behaviour and authoritarian parenting was positively associated with internalizing behaviour. Limitations and future directions of the current study are discussed.     

Parental perceptions of children's agency: Parental warmth,school achievement and adjustment

The present study examined Swedish mothers’ and fathers’ warmth towards their children in relation to their children's agency. It also examined the longitudinal relation between agency and children's externalising, internalising, and school achievement. Swedish children's mothers and fathers (N?=?93) were interviewed at three time points (when children were 8, 9, and 10 years old) about their warmth towards their children, children's agency, and children's externalising and internalising behaviours and school achievement. Parental warmth at Time 1 was significantly correlated with child agency at Time 2, which was significantly correlated with child externalising and internalising behaviours and academic achievement at Time 3. There were no differences between girls and boys. Results from this study indicate that Swedish parents’ warmth is directly related to subsequent perceptions of children's agency, which in turn are related to subsequently lower child externalising and internalising problems and higher academic achievement. These findings held in the context of a three-year longitudinal study and for both boys and girls, suggesting the importance of child agency in the link between parental warmth and children's adjustment.     

Academic Expectations and Mental Health in Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study Involving Parents' and Their Children's Perspectives

PurposeWe investigated parental academic expectations and their agreement with child expectations as predictors of offspring's mental health. We additionally analyzed whether these associations were moderated by parent–child relationship factors and whether similar associations were found when using aspirations as the predictor.MethodsDyads of parents and children (aged 13 years) in Sweden answered three annual surveys asking how far in education parents (or their children) expected to go (respondents' wave 1: N = 3,383, wave 2: N = 3,096, wave 3: N = 2,905). Children's mental health was measured using the internalizing and externalizing subscales of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Multilevel logistic models for repeated measures were built to analyze the associations between parental expectations or the concordance of parent and child expectations and child's high internalizing (>9) or externalizing (>11) score in waves 2 and 3.ResultsParental expectations lower than university were associated with an increased odds of offspring's high externalizing score (adjusted odds ratio: 1.49, 95% confidence interval: 1.11–2.01). The odds of high externalizing score were increased among adolescents when either the parent's or own expectations were lower than university compared with the situation where both expected a university education; there was a more than twofold increased odds when both had low expectations (odds ratio: 2.32, 95% confidence interval: 1.55–3.48). No significant associations were found with internalizing problems. There was some evidence of moderation according to democratic parenting. All associations were similar when considering academic aspirations.ConclusionsLow academic expectations among parents and their children may negatively impact on children's externalizing symptoms.     

Gender as a moderator of the association between teacher–child relationship and social skills in preschool

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine whether gender would moderate the association between teacher–child relationship and children’s social skills in a sample of preschool children. Classroom teachers (N?=?32) rated the quality of the teacher–child relationship (Student–Teacher Relationship Scale; STRS) and children’s social skills (Social Skills Rating System; SSRS) in a sample of 160 preschool children in Oman. Children’s ages ranged from 46 to 70 months with an average of 58 months (SD?=?6 months). The hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis showed that the subscales (STRS) and the total score explained 21% of the variance in social skills. Gender was also a significant predictor of children’s social skills. Females’ close relationship with teachers predicted social skills better than males. Positive correlations were found between teacher–child conflict and both internalizing and externalizing behaviours, and between closeness and SSRS cooperation and self-control. Teacher–child dependence correlated negatively with both cooperation and SSRS total score. An independent-samples t-test showed that girls displayed higher scores than males in SSRS cooperation assertion, SSRS total score, and STRS closeness. Results inform policy-makers and practitioners about the gender disparity issue and the importance of developing positive and healthy teacher–child relationships in preschool.     

北京大兴区农村父母养育方式与2~4岁儿童行为问题

【目的】 了解北京市大兴区农村父母养育方式与2~4岁儿童的行为问题的发展变化。 【方法】 使用父母养育Q分类卡片和Achenbach的儿童行为调查表对大兴区109名儿童在2~3岁、3~4岁进行了纵向追踪调查分析。 【结果】 1)父母的养育方式4岁组较2岁组惩罚(t=15.680,P=0.000)、保护/担忧(t=2.665,P=0.009)和鼓励独立(t=4.402,P=0.000)均有所减少;2)儿童的外显行为问题具有较高的稳定性,内隐行为问题稳定性相对较低;3)儿童的行为问题与父母养育方式的相互作用较强,儿童2岁时父母的拒绝能预测儿童4岁时的内隐行为(β=0.305),父母拒绝行为对同一时间段的外显行为问题有预测作用。 【结论】 父母的养育方式和儿童的行为问题均有较高稳定性,且相互作用。     

Family Functioning and Behavioral Adjustment in Children With Leukemia and Their Healthy Peers

In this study we investigated differences in child adjustment and family functioning of 33 children with leukemia and 32 healthy children, examined unique relationships between familial factors and adjustment within each group, and used demographic and family variables to predict child adjustment for both groups. Results indicated that the families of children with leukemia rated themselves as less cohesive and more conflictual than did the families of healthy children. We found no differences in child adjustment between children with leukemia and healthy children; both groups scored well within normal ranges. However, we found different associations between family functioning and child adjustment for the two groups. For the children with leukemia, greater family conflict and less encouragement of autonomy were associated with greater child externalizing symptoms, whereas lower family cohesion, less open expression, and higher levels of control within the family were associated with more child internalizing problems. For the healthy children, family personal growth was associated with better adjustment (i.e., fewer child internalizing problems). We predicted child adjustment using hierarchical multiple regression analyses and we discuss implications of these findings for a family systems approach in pediatric psychology.     

Family Functioning and Behavioral Adjustment in Children With Leukemia and Their Healthy Peers

In this study we investigated differences in child adjustment and family functioning of 33 children with leukemia and 32 healthy children, examined unique relationships between familial factors and adjustment within each group, and used demographic and family variables to predict child adjustment for both groups. Results indicated that the families of children with leukemia rated themselves as less cohesive and more conflictual than did the families of healthy children. We found no differences in child adjustment between children with leukemia and healthy children; both groups scored well within normal ranges. However, we found different associations between family functioning and child adjustment for the two groups. For the children with leukemia, greater family conflict and less encouragement of autonomy were associated with greater child externalizing symptoms, whereas lower family cohesion, less open expression, and higher levels of control within the family were associated with more child internalizing problems. For the healthy children, family personal growth was associated with better adjustment (i.e., fewer child internalizing problems). We predicted child adjustment using hierarchical multiple regression analyses and we discuss implications of these findings for a family systems approach in pediatric psychology.     

The Indirect Effect of Family Cohesion on Children’s Weight Status Through Maternal Quality of Life and Children’s Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms

Background

Obesity has serious psychosocial consequences for youth and family members and has reached epidemic levels in Portugal.

Objective

This study had two goals: (1) to investigate differences in family cohesion, mothers’ quality of life (QoL), and externalizing/internalizing symptoms between children/adolescents with healthy-weight and overweight/obesity; (2) to assess the mediating role of maternal QoL and children/adolescents’ externalizing/internalizing symptoms in the association between family cohesion and weight.

Methods

Children/adolescents with healthy-weight (n = 134) and with overweight/obesity (n = 163) and their mothers participated in the study. Mothers completed measures of family cohesion (FC) and QoL and children/adolescents completed measures of externalizing and internalizing symptoms. This study used a cross-sectional design.

Results

Children/adolescents with overweight/obesity reported higher levels of externalizing and internalizing symptoms than children/adolescents with healthy-weight. Mothers of children/adolescents with overweight/obesity reported lower levels of FC and QoL than mothers of children/adolescents with healthy-weight. Mothers’ QoL and children/adolescents’ externalizing symptoms sequentially mediated the relationship between FC and weight status. Specifically, an increase in FC and QoL resulted in a decreased likelihood of the child/adolescent reporting overweight or obesity, whereas an increase in externalizing symptoms resulted in a higher likelihood of the child/adolescent reporting overweight or obesity.

Conclusions

This study identifies mechanisms that might account for the link between FC and weight, suggesting the importance of mothers’ QoL and children’s externalizing symptoms. Moreover, it provides a better understanding of the psychosocial outcomes related to pediatric obesity, highlighting the relevance of working with the parents to promote weight reduction in youths.

     

The Ecology of Early Childhood Risk: A Canonical Correlation Analysis of Children’s Adjustment, Family, and Community Context in a High-Risk Sample

The ecology of the emergence of psychopathology in early childhood is often approached by the analysis of a limited number of contextual risk factors. In the present study, we provide a comprehensive analysis of ecological risk by conducting a canonical correlation analysis of 13 risk factors at child age 2 and seven narrow-band scales of internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors at child age 4, using a sample of 364 geographically and ethnically diverse, disadvantaged primary caregivers, alternative caregivers, and preschool-age children. Participants were recruited from Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children sites and were screened for family risk. Canonical correlation analysis revealed that (1) a first latent combination of family and individual risks of caregivers predicted combinations of child emotional and behavioral problems, and that (2) a second latent combination of contextual and structural risks predicted child somatic complaints. Specifically, (1) the combination of chaotic home, conflict with child, parental depression, and parenting hassles predicted a co-occurrence of internalizing and externalizing behaviors, and (2) the combination of father absence, perceived discrimination, neighborhood danger, and fewer children living in the home predicted child somatic complaints. The research findings are discussed in terms of the development of psychopathology, as well as the potential prevention needs of families in high-risk contexts.     

家庭教育与儿童行为问题关系调查报告

【目的】 探讨家庭教育方式与儿童心理和行为问题的关系,总结家庭教育经验,发现家庭教育中存在的问题,为家庭教育立法提供依据。 【方法】 采用组编的《家庭教育现状调查表》对仙桃298名学生进行问卷调查。 【结果】 亲子关系、父母期待和父母监控与儿童问题行为呈显著负相关(r_亲子=0.206,r_期待=0.174,r_监控=0.148);父母期待、父母监控与亲子关系呈显著正相关(r_期待=0.189,r_监控=0.461),父母心理控制与亲子关系呈显著负相关(r=0.264)。亲子关系和父母期待对问题行为有显著的负向预测作用;父母监控对亲子关系有显著的正向预测作用,父母心理控制则对亲子关系有负向预测作用。 【结论】 家庭教育状况与儿童的问题行为有着密切的关系,不良的亲子关系以及父母对儿童放纵、要求低都会导致问题行为的发生。因此,应该关注家庭教育的规范化、科学化,为家庭教育工作的推进提供有力的制度保障。     

“Children are Sexually Innocent”: Iranian Parents’ Understanding of Children’s Sexuality

Sexuality education (SE) is hotly contested in the West and there is much abstinence-only education; however, it remains controversial in a variety of contexts, including in Iran. The lack of consensus about children’s SE in Muslim societies obliges us to explore different aspects of this topic systematically. The qualitative research presented here was about how Iranian parents perceived children’s sexuality. Data from parents of 26 children were collected during four focus group sessions. Informants were selected from Area 5 in West Tehran. This area included 72 primary schools for girls and 82 for boys. The sessions were facilitated by using a semi-structured focus group guide. Content analysis was adopted using combined free and analytical coding to reduce data, to extract meanings, and to categorize domains. One of the three main domains identified, family management of child sexuality, is comprised of the following: (1) understanding of child sexuality, (2) family rules, (3) parent–child interactions, and (4) opposite sex interactions. Parental misinformation, accumulated myths, and ignorance about children’s sexual development were evident. Strict family rules and a lack of consistent policy and instruction for SE were also identified. Parents said they were neither well-prepared nor competent to educate their children about sexuality. In fact, a majority of mothers raised “incompetence” as an important determinant in their own parent–child interactions. Societal changes as well as children’s socialization patterns have forced parents to accept their children’s opposite sex friendships as a reality. Results suggest a community need for developing comprehensive and culturally sensitive SE for schools and parental use.     

Temperament,parental personality and parenting stress in relation to socio-emotional development at 51 months

ABSTRACT

This study examined the relevance of infant temperament, parent personality and parenting stress for children’s socio-emotional development, looking in addition for any differences between mothers and fathers. Participants, from a community sample, were 410 mothers and fathers reporting their personality (NEO Personality Inventory), child temperament in the first (Infant Characteristics Questionnaire) and second (Toddler Behavior Assessment Questionnaire) years, parenting stress to 36 months (Parenting Stress Index Short Form) and child behaviour at 51 months (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire). Difficult toddler temperament was associated with more externalizing and internalizing problems. Higher paternal extraversion was associated with more prosocial behaviour whereas lower maternal extraversion was associated with more internalizing problems. For both parents, describing a dysfunctional parent–child relationship was related to more externalizing problems and to less prosocial behaviour, for fathers also to more internalizing problems, which associated for mothers with more parental distress.     

A Meta-Analysis of Parenting Practices and Child Psychosocial Outcomes in Trauma-Informed Parenting Interventions after Violence Exposure

Over half of all youth are exposed to violence, which a growing body of literature suggests is associated with a broad range of negative developmental outcomes over the life course. However, best practices for supporting parenting are not widely applied to parents with children exposed to violence-related trauma. This meta-analyses seeks to synthesize the literature base of trauma-informed parenting interventions to better understand their potential impact on parenting and child outcomes. Specifically, 21 trauma-informed parenting interventions were identified that quantitatively assessed intervention effects on parenting and child outcomes. Six meta-analyses were conducted to assess intervention effects on (1) positive parenting practices, (2) negative parenting practices, (3) parenting stress, (4) children’s internalizing problems, (5) children’s externalizing problems, and (6) trauma symptoms, respectively. Moderate to large effect sizes were found for positive parenting practices (d?=?0.62) as well as child internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and trauma symptoms (d?=?0.48–0.59). Validity tests indicated robust findings for positive parenting and for all child outcomes. Additional moderator analyses support the importance of informed intervention design, showing differential findings by trauma type as well as by duration of the intervention. These findings indicate the value of evidence-based parenting interventions for violence-related trauma and support models of trauma-informed care that situate treatment in the broader social context, particularly the family. Results are discussed with respect to which parenting practices hold the most promise for supporting children exposed to violence-related trauma.     

The effect of maternal depression and marital adjustment on young children's internalizing and externalizing behaviour problems

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to clarify the circumstances under which maternal depression is associated with adverse outcomes in pre-school-aged children, and to explore the additional impact of the marital relationship in a socio-economically low-risk sample. METHODS: Ninety-two mothers recruited into a longitudinal study were assessed for symptoms of depression when their children were 4, 12 and 15 months, and later at 4 years of age. At 4 years of age, mothers were also asked to report on marital adjustment. Mothers, fathers and pre-school teachers were asked to report on children's internalizing and externalizing behaviour problems. RESULTS: Children exposed to chronic maternal depression were rated by their parents as significantly more problematic on internalizing and externalizing behaviours. This association was not mediated or moderated by low marital satisfaction. No parent-reported effects were evident for children exposed to transient depression. Ten per cent of the children had internalizing scores in the clinical range, and 7% had externalizing scores in the clinical range. Almost all of the children with clinically elevated scores had been exposed to chronic maternal depression. Teacher reports of internalizing behaviours corroborated parent reports; however, teachers tended to report significantly lower levels of behaviour problems. Although there was a tendency for teachers to rate children exposed to any depression as more problematic on internalizing behaviours, the subgroup differences were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Findings confirm that depression chronicity is important in determining child behavioural outcomes, and that depression effects cannot be accounted for by low marital adjustment. Results are discussed with reference to transmission of risk models, and treatment implications are considered.     

Immigrant parents' perceptions of school environment and children's mental health and behavior

BACKGROUND: Research has increasingly identified the perception of school environment as an influential factor in children's lives. There has been sparse research attention, however, on the potential importance of parents' perceptions of school environment on child adjustment. This study examined the relationship between parents' perceptions of school environment and children's emotional and behavioral problems. METHODS: Data were derived from the New Canadian Children and Youth Study, a study of the children (aged 4‐6 and 11‐13) of immigrant parents. Analyses focused on a subsample of Mainland Chinese, Hong Kong Chinese, and Filipino immigrants in a large metropolitan area. RESULTS: Parental perception of school environment was negatively associated with physical aggression in children even after controlling for child age and gender, parental characteristics, family functioning, and aspects of acculturation. In contrast, parental perception was not significantly related to symptoms of emotional distress in children. There were some ethnic differences in perception of school environment. CONCLUSIONS: Parental perception of school environment is important to the well‐being of the children of immigrant parents, and reinforces the relevance of initiatives to improve the dynamics between parents and schools.     

Mothers’ Racial,Ethnic, and Cultural Socialization of Transracially Adopted Asian Children*

Abstract: This study examined maternal and child predictors of White mothers’ cultural socialization/pluralism and preparation for bias of Chinese and Korean adopted children in families participating in the Northeast‐Northwest Collaborative Adoption Project. Mother’s psychological connection to Asian Americans, but not White identity, and children’s age predicted cultural socialization/pluralism and preparation for bias. Birth country was related to cultural socialization/pluralism but not preparation for bias. Cultural socialization/pluralism was related to fewer externalizing problems but not to internalizing problems. Preparation for bias was not related to behavioral problems. The implications of these findings are summarized in terms of interventions aimed at increasing mothers’ connections to Asian American communities or individuals, providing Korean cultural information to parents of Korean adoptees, and the timing of interventions.     

2～3岁农村儿童气质与父母养育方式对其同期及2年后行为影响的研究

[目的]探讨北京农村幼儿气质、父母养育方式对同期儿童行为的影响及其随年龄增长预测作用的变化,以及行为问题的稳定性,为因材施教,减少儿童行为问题提供依据.[方法]在北京市5个区县随机整群抽取身体健康,使用丹佛发育筛选测验(DDST)筛查正常的2～3岁农村儿童,采用幼儿气质评估表(TTS),3～7岁儿童气质问卷(BSQ)进...     

Feeding and sleeping problems in infancy – a follow‐up at early school age

Background Feeding and sleeping problems are common during infancy. Many regulatory problems of this kind are connected to various child and family factors. This study is a follow‐up of children with early feeding and/or sleeping problems, 6 years after clinical contacts. Methods A total of 230 families (72%) participated in the questionnaire follow‐up. Children and parents were compared with 227 (71%) reference families regarding sleeping and feeding problems, health factors in parent and child, psychosocial problems, stressful life events, social support, life satisfaction, and externalizing and internalizing behaviour in the child. Results Six years after clinical contacts the children with early feeding and/or sleeping problems still had more problems of this kind compared with the reference children. Early child health problems were more frequent within the clinical group, but recent health problems did not separate the two groups. Mothers in the clinical sample reported more health problems than mothers in the reference group and clinical parents were less content with their social support and had more psychosocial problems, including stressful life events. Children in the clinical sample had more internalizing problems than comparison children. Recent feeding and sleeping problems were connected to more externalizing and internalizing problems. Conclusions Early regulatory problems, concerning sleeping or feeding, are less frequent when the child grows up, but nevertheless tend to remain. A clinical recommendation for child health care is to take both child and family factors into account, to individualize contacts, work with an all‐inclusive perspective and have close follow‐ups.     

Parental discipline behaviours and beliefs about their child: associations with child internalizing and mediation relationships

Introduction   Internalizing disorders of childhood are a common and disabling problem, with sufferers at increased risk of subsequent psychiatric morbidity. Several studies have found associations between parenting styles and children's internalizing, although few have considered the role of parental discipline. Parental discipline style may exert an effect on children's internalizing symptoms. Anxiety and depression are reliably found to run in families and parental anxiety has been shown to effect parenting behaviour. This study set out to examine the links between parental anxiety, parental discipline style and child internalizing symptoms.
Method   Eighty-eight parents of children aged 4–10 years were recruited through primary schools. All parents completed questionnaires including measures relating to: adult anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory – Trait version, Penn State Worry Questionnaire), parental depression (Beck Depression Inventory – Fastscreen), parental discipline (The Parenting Scale), parenting-related attributions (Parenting Attitudes, Beliefs and Cognitions Scale) and child psychological morbidity (Child Behaviour Checklist 4–18 version).
Results   Significant correlations were found between both parental anxiety and child internalizing symptoms with ineffective discipline and negative beliefs about parenting. Particularly strong correlations were found between parental anxiety and child internalizing symptoms with harsh discipline. Parents of anxious/withdrawn children were more likely to hold negative beliefs about their child. The link between parental anxiety and child internalizing symptoms was mediated by harsh discipline. The link between parental anxiety and harsh discipline was mediated by parental beliefs about the child.
Conclusion   Discipline style may be an important factor in the relationship between parent anxiety and child internalizing symptoms.     

Family cohesion and psychopathological symptoms in pediatric obesity: Is there an indirect effect?

The prevalence of pediatric obesity is increasing worldwide, which is particularly concerning given its negative impact on adjustment (e.g., quality of life, psychopathological symptoms) and physical health (e.g., high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems). It is important to understand the factors that may improve children’s/adolescents’ adjustment to overweight/obesity. This study aims to assess the indirect effect of family cohesion on children’s/adolescents’ internalizing/externalizing symptoms through body esteem and social life. The sample comprises 182 treatment-seeking children/adolescents with overweight/obesity and their mothers. Mothers completed a measure of family cohesion (Family Environment Scale), and children/adolescents completed measures of body esteem, social life (Impact of Weight on Quality of Life-Kids), and internalizing/externalizing symptoms (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire). Path analyses indicated a significant indirect effect between family cohesion and internalizing symptoms through children’s/adolescents’ body esteem and social life. Higher levels of family cohesion were linked to higher levels of body esteem, which were linked to higher levels of social life that, in turn, were associated with lower levels of internalizing symptoms. The results suggest the importance of body esteem and social life in explaining the link between family cohesion and children’s/adolescents’ internalizing symptoms. The results also suggest that belonging to a more cohesive family may improve the mental health of children/adolescents with overweight/obesity.