Maternal personality, parenting cognitions, and parenting practices

A community sample of 262 European American mothers of firstborn 20-month-olds completed a personality inventory and measures of parenting cognitions (knowledge, self-perceptions, and reports about behavior) and was observed in interaction with their children from which measures of parenting practices (language, sensitivity, affection, and play) were independently coded. Factor analyses of the personality inventory replicated extraction of the 5-factor model of personality (Openness, Neuroticism, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness). When controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, the 5 personality factors qua variables and in patterns qua clusters related differently to diverse parenting cognitions and practices, supporting the multidimensional, modular, and specific nature of parenting. Maternal personality in the normal range, a theoretically important but empirically neglected factor in everyday parenting, has meaning in studies of parenting, child development, and family process.     

Consistency of maternal cognitions and principles across the first five months following preterm and term deliveries

The aims of this study were to examine and compare the development of parenting cognitions and principles in mothers following preterm and term deliveries. Parenting cognitions about child development, including thinking that is restricted to single causes and single outcomes (categorical thinking) and thinking that takes into account multiple perspectives (perspectivist thinking), have been shown to relate to child outcomes. Parenting principles about using routines (structure) or infant cues (attunement) to guide daily caregiving have been shown to relate to caregiving practices. We investigated the continuity and stability of parenting cognitions and principles in the days following birth to 5 months postpartum for mothers of infants born term and preterm. All parenting cognitions were stable across time. Categorical thinking increased at a group level across time in mothers of preterm, but not term, infants. Perspectivist thinking increased at a group level for first-time mothers (regardless of birth status) and tended to be lower in mothers of preterm infants. Structure at birth did not predict later structure (and so was unstable) in mothers of preterm, but not term, infants and neither group changed in mean level across time. Attunement was consistent across time in both groups of mothers. These results indicate that prematurity has multiple, diverse effects on parenting beliefs, which may in turn influence maternal behavior and child outcomes.     

Parental Involvement in Chinese Immigrant Mothers: The Influences of Cultural and Parenting Cognitions

Journal of Child and Family Studies - The purpose of this research was to identify mechanisms by which cultural cognitions were linked to parenting cognitions and practices in acculturating Chinese...     

Parenting Cognitions Associated with the Use of Psychological Control

Psychological control is a pattern of parenting that is intrusive and manipulative of children's thoughts, feelings, and attachment to parents. Although little is known about the determinants of psychological control, it has been linked to the psychological status of the parent. We hypothesized that several parenting cognitions reflecting personal concerns would be associated with the use of psychological control: low perceived control, sensitivity to hurt, and a disapproving attitude to negative emotion. We also examined moderating associations with child temperament and child gender. Participants were 198 mothers and fathers of 3- and 4-year-olds (106 boys, 92 girls; M age = 4.10 years, SD = 0.26). Parents completed self- and spouse-report measures of psychological control, rated their child's temperamental characteristics, and completed measures of parenting cognitions. Predictions were generally supported for two of the three cognitions. Sensitivity to hurt and disapproval of negative emotion were associated with more frequent reported use of psychological control. There were some moderating effects of child characteristics.     

Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Group CBT for Parents of ADHD Children

Improvements in parenting skills do not necessarily lead to improvements in child and parent outcomes for children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Cognitive factors such as parental cognitions and parenting self-efficacy may influence such outcomes. Clinical research on the effects of cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) on parental cognitions, parenting self-efficacy and mental health in Chinese parents of children with ADHD is lacking. This quasi-experimental study intended to assess the effects of a culturally attuned group CBT treatment on the mental health and quality of life of Chinese parents aged 26–58 years, with children with ADHD in Hong Kong. Participants in the experimental group received group CBT and standard treatment and their counterparts in the control group received standard treatment. Primary outcome variables of mental health and quality of life and process variables including parenting stress, parenting efficacy and dysfunctional attitudes were measured at baseline, post-treatment and 3-month follow-up. Data were analysed using 2?×?3 ANCOVAs, Cohen’s d statistics and multiple mediation analyses. Group by time interactions were found for most outcome variables. Effect size statistics indicated that group CBT had small to moderate effects on most outcome variables at post-treatment and follow-up assessments. The effect of CBT on mental health was mediated by the reduction in parenting stress and the effect of CBT on quality of life was mediated by the reductions in parenting stress and dysfunctional attitudes. Given its potential benefit, it is worth considering incorporating this group CBT programme into interventions for Chinese parents with ADHD children.     

The children of adolescent mothers: Physical,academic, and psychological outcomes

Teenage parenthood is believed to cause special problems for both the young mother and her children. In this review, individual differences in the expression of parenting by different-aged mothers are explored in light of two questions: How do parenting practices originate, and how do parental practices affect the young child's social, physical, and cognitive development? Approaches to the study of teenage pregnancy are considered. Then, the prevalence of teenage pregnancy is explored. Next, research on teenage parenting practices, on the likely antecedents of parenting practices, and on outcomes of teenage motherhood for the child is reviewed. Finally, problems in methodology and with the interpretation of findings about teenage parenting are discussed. Social and economic disadvantages and teenage parenting often cooccur; most studies have not separated out the relative effects of the two, making interpretation of the outcomes of teenage parenting difficult. In addition, most studies focus on the prototypic teenage mother (black, urban, poor, unmarried), making generalizations to other groups difficult. The major outcome findings may be summarized as follows. First, intellectual differences in children born to teenage and older childbearers become more pronounced as children develop. Small differences are seen in studies in the preschool years and larger differences are found by the elementary school years. Adolescents of early childbearers are not doing as well in school as adolescents of older childbearers. Second, behavior differences as a function of age of childbearing are more likely to be seen in the early years than intellectual differences. Problems appear in activity levels, hostility, and undercontrol of behavior. Third, boys are more affected by teenage childbearing than are girls, at least in the early years.     

Treatment effectiveness of PMTO for children's behavior problems in Iceland: Assessing parenting practices in a randomized controlled trial

Findings are presented from an Icelandic randomized control trial (RCT) evaluating parent management training – Oregon model (PMTO?), a parent training intervention designed to improve parenting practices and reduce child behavior problems. In a prior report from this effectiveness study that focused on child outcomes, children in the PMTO condition showed greater reductions in reported child adjustment problems relative to the comparison group. The present report focuses on observed parenting practices as the targeted outcome, with risk by treatment moderators also tested. It was hypothesized that mothers assigned to the PMTO condition would show greater gains in pre‐post parenting practices relative to controls. The sample was recruited from five municipalities throughout Iceland and included 102 participating families of children with behavior problems. Cases were referred by community professionals and randomly assigned to either PMTO (n = 51) or community services usually offered (n = 51). Child age ranged from 5 to 12 years; 73% were boys. Contrary to expectations, findings showed no main effects for changes in maternal parenting. However, evaluation of risk by treatment moderators showed greater gains in parenting practices for mothers who increased in depressed mood within the PMTO group relative to their counterparts in the comparison group. This finding suggests that PMTO prevented the expected damaging effects of depression on maternal parenting. Failure to find hypothesized main effects may indicate that there were some unobserved factors regarding the measurement and a need to further adapt the global observational procedures to Icelandic culture.     

Improved Parent Cognitions Relate to Immediate and Follow-Up Treatment Outcomes for Children With ADHD-Predominantly Inattentive Presentation

We investigated treatment effects on parenting self-efficacy and parent cognitive errors, and whether these parent cognitions are related to short- and long-term outcomes in parenting behaviors in psychosocial treatment for youth with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, predominantly inattentive presentation (ADHD-I). In a randomized controlled trial across two sites (University of California, San Francisco, and University of California, Berkeley), 199 children between the ages of 7 and 11 were randomized to the Child Life and Attention Skills (CLAS; n = 74) program, parent-focused treatment (PFT; n = 74), or treatment as usual (TAU; n = 51). Parents reported on self-efficacy, cognitive errors, positive parenting, and negative parenting prior to treatment, immediately after treatment, and in the next school year at follow-up. Compared to TAU, CLAS and PFT had higher posttreatment parenting self-efficacy, and CLAS alone had lower posttreatment parent cognitive errors. At follow-up, only CLAS had improved parent cognitive errors compared to TAU. No other between-group differences were found in parenting self-efficacy or cognitive errors. Improved parenting self-efficacy was associated with improved posttreatment negative parenting outcomes for PFT and CLAS, and improved parent cognitive errors were also related to improvements in positive and negative posttreatment parenting outcomes for CLAS. Posttreatment parenting self-efficacy mediated follow-up negative parenting outcomes for CLAS and posttreatment parent cognitive errors mediated improved follow-up positive and negative parenting outcomes for CLAS. PFT and CLAS led to enhanced parenting self-efficacy, and CLAS appears especially robust in improving parent cognitive errors both in the short and long term. Pathways provide support for the possibility of parent cognitions as mediators of treatment effects on parenting; clinical focus on such cognitions may be useful.     

Parenting style and adolescent smoking cognitions and behaviour

Parenting style and smoking-related cognitions have both successfully predicted adolescent smoking behaviour. Data were collected among 482 Dutch adolescents to examine whether effects of parenting styles (authoritative, permissive, authoritarian, rejecting, neglecting, measured by underlying dimensions support, strict control, and psychological control) on adolescent lifetime smoking were mediated by cognitions (pro-smoking attitude, social norm, self-efficacy, intention) and to study the role of gender in this process. Support was not significantly associated with smoking behaviour. The inverse relation between strict control and smoking was partly mediated by attitude and intention, both associated with increased smoking. Psychological control related directly to increased lifetime smoking. Combinations of dimensions creating the specific styles were not associated with cognitions or behaviour. Maternal and paternal parenting were equally associated with smoking cognitions and behaviour; nor were effects moderated by adolescent gender. Interventions to prevent adolescent smoking initiation should aim at increasing strict control and reducing psychological control.     

Alcohol-specific parenting,adolescent alcohol use and the mediating effect of adolescent alcohol-related cognitions

Objectives : Previous research indicated that alcohol-specific parenting is an important precursor of adolescent alcohol use, but failed to define the underlying mechanism. Based on social cognitive theory, alcohol-related cognitions such as alcohol refusal self-efficacy and alcohol-related expectancies were hypothesised to mediate this link.

Design : A cross-sectional survey included 1349 mothers and their sixth grade (11–12?years old) adolescent offspring. Structural equation modelling was employed to test the association between alcohol-specific parenting and adolescent alcohol use, mediated by adolescent alcohol-related cognitions.

Main outcome measures : Adolescent alcohol use, drinking refusal self-efficacy and alcohol expectancies.

Results : The associations between frequency of communication, maternal alcohol use and adolescent alcohol use were mediated by negative alcohol-related expectancies. The associations between quality of communication, rules and disclosure and adolescent alcohol use were mediated by self-efficacy.

Conclusions : The present study provides a first indication that the underlying mechanism of the association between the most important alcohol-specific parenting practices and adolescent alcohol use can be contributed to the mediating effect of alcohol-refusal self-efficacy.     

The Association of Parent Mindfulness with Parenting and Youth Psychopathology Across Three Developmental Stages

The primary purpose of the current study was to test a model examining the process by which parent dispositional mindfulness relates to youth psychopathology through mindful parenting and parenting practices. The universality of the model across youth at three developmental stages was examined: young childhood (3–7 years; n?=?210), middle childhood (8–12 years; n?=?200), and adolescence (13–17 years; n?=?205). Overall, participants were 615 parents (55 % female) and one of their 3-to-17 year old children (45 % female). Parents reported on their dispositional mindfulness, mindful parenting, positive and negative parenting practices and their child’s or adolescent’s internalizing and externalizing problems. Consistent findings across all three developmental stages indicated that higher levels of parent dispositional mindfulness were indirectly related to lower levels of youth internalizing and externalizing problems through higher levels of mindful parenting and lower levels of negative parenting practices. Replication of these findings across families with children at different developmental stages lends support to the generalizability of the model.     

Parenting styles or practices? Parenting, sympathy, and prosocial behaviors among adolescents

In the present study, the authors examined the relations among parenting styles, parental practices, sympathy, and prosocial behaviors in adolescents. The participants were 233 adolescents (M age = 16.7 years; 69% girls; mostly White) from public high schools in the Midwestern region of the United States who completed measures of prosocial behaviors, parenting styles, parenting practices, and sympathy. Overall, the authors found evidence that parenting practices were significantly associated with adolescents' prosocial behaviors. However, the associations between parenting practices and prosocial behaviors occurred mostly through the indirect relations with sympathy. The relations among parenting practices, sympathy, and prosocial behaviors varied as a function of the specific parenting practice and the specific prosocial behavior. Implications for future research on the study of prosocial development and parenting among adolescents are discussed.     

青少年留守经历对网络成瘾的影响:病理性互联网使用的认知行为模型视角

基于病理性互联网使用的认知行为模型,本研究考察青少年留守经历对网络成瘾的影响,并检验非适应性认知的中介作用和粗暴养育的调节作用。以525名中学生为被试,采用非适应性认知问卷、粗暴养育问卷和网络成瘾问卷进行测试,结果发现:(1)有留守经历的个体非适应性认知和网络成瘾的程度更高,而且非适应性认知越强,网络成瘾程度越高;(2)留守经历通过非适应性认知的中介作用影响网络成瘾;(3)留守经历对非适应性认知的影响受到粗暴养育的调节。具体而言,经历较多粗暴养育的青少年,留守经历会增加非适应性认知;但是对于经历较少粗暴养育的青少年,留守经历不会对非适应性认知产生影响。本研究的结果表明,青少年留守经历会增强非适应性认知,进而增加网络成瘾的倾向。但是,如果青少年家庭中粗暴养育程度较低,青少年留守经历对非适应性认知的影响就会消失。     

Irritability and parenting practices as mediational variables between temperament and affective,anxiety, and oppositional defiant problems

Irritability and parenting are potential targets for transdiagnostic studies to identify the common and core dysfunctional characteristics underlying several diagnostic pictures with the goal of addressing these issues in treatment. Our objective was to investigate the different paths from temperament to child psychopathology (affective, anxiety, and oppositional problems) through irritability and parenting using a prospective design from ages 3 to 7. A sample of 614 3-year-old preschoolers was followed at ages 4, 6, and 7. Parents answered questionnaires about temperament (age 3), irritability (age 4), parenting practices (age 6), and psychopathology (age 7). Statistical analyses were carried out through structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the mediation effect of irritability and parenting practices from temperament (negative affectivity and effortful control) through to affective, anxious, and oppositional problems. The proposed model fit the data well. SEM showed (a) an indirect effect from temperament to affective problems, via irritability and positive parenting; (b) a direct effect from negative affectivity to anxiety, plus an indirect effect from both temperament dimensions, via irritability and autonomy parenting practices; and (c) an indirect effect from temperament to oppositional problems, via irritability and punitive parenting. Irritability and parenting are transdiagnostic mediational variables that should be focused on in intervention programs for affective, anxiety, and oppositional problems.     

Trajectories of family management practices and early adolescent behavioral outcomes

Stage-environment fit theory was used to examine the reciprocal lagged relations between family management practices and early adolescent problem behavior during the middle school years. In addition, the potential moderating roles of family structure and of gender were explored. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to describe patterns of growth in family management practices and adolescents' behavioral outcomes and to detect predictors of interindividual differences in initial status and rate of change. The sample comprised approximately 1,000 adolescents between ages 11 years and 15 years. The results indicated that adolescents' antisocial behaviors and substance use increased and their positive behavioral engagement decreased over time. As adolescent age increased, parental knowledge of their adolescent's activities decreased, as did parental rule making and support. The level and rate of change in family management and adolescent behavioral outcomes varied by family structure and by gender. Reciprocal longitudinal associations between parenting practices and adolescent problem behavior were found. Specifically, parenting practices predicted subsequent adolescent behavior, and adolescent behavior predicted subsequent parenting practices. In addition, parental warmth moderated the effects of parental knowledge and rule making on adolescent antisocial behavior and substance use over time.     

Psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire parent form

ABSTRACT

The Alabama Parenting Questionnaire parent form (APQ-P) is one of the most commonly used measures to assess parenting practices. The current study evaluated the psychometric properties of the APQ-P using a community sample of 499 Portuguese mothers of children and adolescents aged 10 to 17 years. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed adequate psychometric properties of a three-factor model (positive parenting, ineffective parenting, and poor monitoring) in a solution of 20-items. After comparing the three-factor model across children’s age groups (≤13 vs. ≥14), partial metric and partial scalar invariance were found. Items loadings were similar between groups for ineffective parenting and poor monitoring, and factor scores were similar between groups for positive parenting. The 20-item version can be an appropriate measure of parenting, relevant for research and intervention purposes. Future studies should validate the current findings in independent samples, and devote particular attention to different parenting practices across different children’s age groups.     

Maternal Factors Related to Parenting Practices,Developmental Expectations,and Perceptions of Child Behavior Problems

Parenting practices of a representative sample of 1,056 urban mothers with very young children were studied via the Parent Behavior Checklist (Fox, 1994) and the Behavior Screening Questionnaire (Richman & Graham, 1971). Potential determinants of parenting practices were also addressed, including maternal age, marital status, education level, number of children living at home, and family socioeconomic status. Less positive parenting practices concerning nurturing and discipline were found among mothers who were younger, had more than one child living at home, were single, had a lower income level, and had lower educational attainment. These mothers also tended to perceive their children as demonstrating more difficult behavior problems. However, the negative influence of some determinants of parenting practices, such as low income, was found to be moderated by the presence of other determinants, such as more education. The present results provide evidence that multiple determinants influence parenting practices among parents of young children.     

Early Feeding,Child Behaviour and Parenting as Correlates of Problem Eating

Mealtimes are a common source of stress for families. Examining factors related to problem eating may provide markers by which to identify families requiring assistance and salient targets for treatment. The current study investigated parenting practices and cognitions, generalisation of child behavioural issues, and early feeding history as they relate to problem eating in typically developing young children. We compared a community sample of 105 parents of 1.5–6-year-old children via survey and observation with 96 parents seeking treatment for their child’s problem eating. History of problems with breastfeeding, χ²(1)?=?3.88, p?=?.049, and the transition to solids, χ²(1)?=?7.27, p?=?.007, were more common among problem eaters than comparisons. Problem eaters had a greater number of problem behaviours outside of mealtimes, F(1181)?=?10.88, p?=?.001, though not more frequently than comparisons and not to clinical levels, F(1181)?=?1.81, p?=?.181. Parents of problem eaters reported more unhelpful mealtime parenting strategies, F(1155)?=?22.59, p?<?.001, yet general parenting style was similar by group, F(1187)?=?0.42, p?=?.527. Parents’ cognitions about mealtimes, F(1155)?=?119.81, p?<?.001, including mealtime-specific self-efficacy, F(1155)?=?171.30, p?<?.001, were poorer amongst problem eaters, and were the only factors to predict problem eating in the total sample. General parenting self-efficacy was poorer in parents of problem eaters (Behaviour: F(1187)?=?42.36, p?<?.001; Setting: F(1187)?=?10.64, p?=?.001). Evidence of feeding issues in infancy may support early detection of and intervention for later problem eating. The significance of broader child behaviour is less clear. Parent factors, particularly those specific to mealtimes, and cognitive in nature (including mealtime parenting self-efficacy) clearly differentiated the groups, and represent important targets for intervention.     

Effects of Parent Training on Callous-Unemotional Traits,Effortful Control,and Conduct Problems: Mediation by Parenting

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits and effortful control (EC) are personality and temperament traits implicated in early-onset antisocial trajectories. This secondary analysis of Hitkashrut’s randomized controlled trial first tested parent training’s effects on EC and CU traits while controlling for more general treatment effects on conduct problems (CP), and subsequently tested mediation by parenting. Prekindergarten teachers in three Israeli cities identified 209 3–5 year-old (163 boys; 46 girls) preschoolers with subclinical-clinical range conduct problems. All participants were Jewish ranging from ultra-orthodox to secular. They were assigned to 14-session co-parent training groups (n = 140 couples), or to minimal intervention control groups with referral to local services as necessary (n = 69 couples). We employed averaged indices of pre- and post-intervention questionnaires completed by both parents. The testing of all hypothesized models controlled for treatment effects on CP in order to strengthen the robustness of the analyses. We found significant concurrent treatment effects on CP and on either CU traits or EC. All effects were mediated by ineffective parenting (IP): a latent variable that was indicated by negative/inconsistent practices and perceived parenting inefficacy. This is the first demonstration of parenting mediated treatment effects on both EC and CU traits in a randomized controlled study conducted in everyday practice contexts. This finding supports a disruption model of change: the reduction of IP facilitates a caregiving environment that affects children’s behavior and developing personality. The changing of personality and temperament characteristics implicated in early-onset pathways suggests an innovative prevention strategy for disruptive behavior disorders.     

Relations of Parenting and Negative Life Events to Cognitive Diatheses for Depression in Children

In a sample of 299 children (grades 2, 4, and 6), we examined parenting and negative life events as predictors of depressive cognitions, specifically low self-perceived competence, depressive cognitive schemas, and depressogenic attributional style. We also examined developmental trends in these relations. Children completed measures of parenting, negative life events, and depressive cognitions. Parents also completed measures of parenting and negative life events. Consistent with our hypotheses, negative parenting and negative life events corresponded with higher levels of depressive cognitions, whereas positive parenting corresponded with lower levels of depressive cognitions. The relations between negative parenting and negative automatic thoughts were stronger for older children. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.