Differential Relations between Mothers’ and Fathers’ Parenting Practices and Child Externalizing Behavior

We examined differences in mothers’ and fathers’ parenting practices in relation to child externalizing behavior. Data were collected from a community sample of 135 cohabiting couples with a child aged 6–12. The couples were recruited through undergraduate and graduate students. Both parents were required to complete a series of questionnaires assessing demographic, parental, and child variables. Results indicated that after controlling for parental depression and marital conflict, all parenting variables were significantly related to child externalizing behavior; however, parent and/or child sex moderated these relations. Specifically, parental involvement was only significant for fathers and sons, positive parenting was only significant for mothers and sons, poor monitoring/supervision was only significant for girls, and only mothers’ inconsistent discipline was related to externalizing behavior. These results offer practical information regarding identification of children at risk for behavioral problems, as well as potential targets for prevention and intervention.     

Relations Between Parents’ Anxiety Symptoms,Marital Quality,and Preschoolers’ Externalizing and Internalizing Behaviors

Our objective was to expand understanding of the associations between fathers’ and mothers’ anxiety symptoms, their perceptions of marital quality, and their children’s maladjustment behaviors. Sixty Israeli families with a child aged 3–5 participated. Mothers and fathers completed self-report questionnaires assessing parents’ anxiety symptoms, marital dissatisfaction, and marital overt conflict, and child internalizing and externalizing behaviors. The actor–partner interdependence mediation model (APIMeM) design with distinguishable dyads within a path analysis framework was used. Findings showed that marital dissatisfaction of both mothers and fathers partially mediated the links between mothers’ anxiety and child behaviors. For externalizing behaviors, actor and partner effects were found, so that mothers’ anxiety symptoms predicted mothers’ own marital dissatisfaction (actor effect) and fathers’ marital dissatisfaction (partner effect), which, in turn were linked with children’s externalizing behaviors. As for internalizing behaviors, only actor effect was found, so that mothers’ anxiety symptoms were linked with maternal dissatisfaction, which, in turn, was linked with child internalizing behaviors. For fathers’ anxiety symptoms, the APIMeM indicated only direct effects on both internalizing and externalizing behaviors. These findings highlight the risk associated with parental anxiety and the contribution of the marital relations to children’s adjustment and are discussed in light of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model and Emotional Security Theory.     

The Role of Fathers’ Depressive Symptoms and Lax and Over-Reactive Discipline in Children’s Externalizing and Internalizing Behaviors

This study examined the role of fathers’ depressive symptoms and lax and over-reactive discipline in children’s externalizing and internalizing behavior problems in a community sample of 36 fathers and their children. Correlational analyses provided considerable support for the expected associations between the study variables. When a regression-based approach recommended by Baron and Kenny (J Personal Soc Psychol 51:1173–1182, 1986) was applied to the data in order to determine whether fathers’ discipline mediated the association between their depressive symptoms and children’s behavior problems, results indicated that fathers’ lax discipline mediated the link between fathers’ depressive symptoms and children’s father-reported internalizing behaviors. In contrast, fathers’ depressive symptoms and lax discipline were independent predictors of children’s father- and mother-reported externalizing behaviors.     

Current and Past Maternal Depression, Maternal Interaction Behaviors, and Children’s Externalizing and Internalizing Symptoms

Relations among past maternal depressive disorder, current depressive symptoms, current maternal interaction behaviors, and children's adjustment were examined in a sample of 204 women and their young adolescent offspring (mean age = 11.86, SD = 0.55). Mothers either had (n = 157) or had not (n = 57) experienced at least one depressive disorder during the child's life. Mothers and children participated in a problem-solving task, video-taped for later coding. Mothers with current depressive symptoms and those with histories of chronic/severe depressive disorders displayed fewer positive behaviors toward their children; mothers with current depressive symptoms also showed more negative behaviors with their children. The relation between mothers' depression history and their behavior during the interaction with their child was partially mediated by mothers' current mood state. Moreover, high levels of maternal negativity and low levels of positivity during the problem-solving task were related to children's externalizing problems. Maternal positivity partially mediated the relation between maternal depression and children's externalizing symptoms. These findings highlight the importance of providing parenting interventions for depressed mothers.     

Examining Children’s Problem Behaviors and Mothers’ Dating for Mothers’ Depressive Symptoms Following Divorce

Journal of Child and Family Studies - Although divorce is typically stressful for mothers, the formation of post-divorce dating relationships can help to ease this stress. Unfortunately, research...     

Correction to: Examining the Relationship between Helicopter Parenting and Emerging Adults’ Mindsets Using the Consolidated Helicopter Parenting Scale

Journal of Child and Family Studies -     

Reciprocal Associations between Boys’ Externalizing Problems and Mothers’ Depressive Symptoms

Although much has been written about the utility of applying transactional models to the study of parenting practices, relatively few researchers have used such an approach to examine how children influence maternal well-being throughout their development. Using a sample of males from predominantly low-income families, the current study explored reciprocal relations between boys' overt disruptive behavior (boys' ages 5 to 10 years) and maternal depressive symptoms. We then examined this model with youth-reported antisocial behaviors (ASB) and maternal depressive symptoms when the boys were older, ages 10 to 15. In middle childhood, evidence was found for both maternal and child effects from boys' ages 5 to 6 using both maternal and alternative caregiver report of child aggressive behavior. In the early adolescence model, consistent maternal effects were found, and child effects were evident during the transition to adolescence (boys' ages 11 to 12). The findings are discussed in reference to reciprocal models of child development and prevention efforts to reduce both maternal depression and the prevalence of child antisocial behavior.     

Relations between Preschool Children’s Fine Motor Skills and General Cognitive Abilities

ABSTRACT

An increasing number of findings suggest that cognition is grounded in sensorimotor experiences. Research suggests that fine motor skills (FMS) link to cognitive abilities. Existing studies, however, lack conceptual and methodological differentiation regarding FMS and little is known about the directional nature of links. In study 1, we measured three types of FMS, namely dexterity, grapho-motor skill, speed-dominated FMS in a sample of preschool children (n = 78) aged 4.42 years, and analyzed their links with nonverbal reasoning and general knowledge. Factor analyses verified the existence of these three distinct subsets of FMS. A unique link was found for dexterity and reasoning after controlling for age, attention and processing speed. In study 2, using a cross-lagged-panel design with two measurement points one year apart in preschool (n = 84), a cross-lagged link from four-year-old children’s dexterity to their reasoning skills at age five was demonstrated. Findings support the idea of FMS being involved in the development of cognitive abilities.     

“I’m NOT the Problem!” Externalizing Children’s “Problems” Using Play Therapy and Developmental Considerations

Many children are brought into therapy because parents view them as having a “problem.” Children will often internalize these negative perspectives from others and create an identity based upon these notions. This paper presents a novel way for marriage and family therapists to integrate narrative and play therapy techniques for children and their families. It provides a model that is organized according to Erik Erikson’s psychosocial stage theory to ensure that developmentally appropriate techniques are being utilized. During each stage, an example is provided for further clarification.     

Parent Alcoholism Impacts the Severity and Timing of Children’s Externalizing Symptoms

Although previous studies show that children of alcoholic parents have higher rates of externalizing symptoms compared to their peers, it remains unclear whether the timing of children’s externalizing symptoms is linked to that of their parent’s alcohol-related symptoms. Using a multilevel modeling approach, we tested whether children aged 2 through 17 showed elevated mother-, father- and child-reported externalizing symptoms (a) at the same time that parents showed alcohol-related consequences (time-varying effects), (b) if parents showed greater alcohol-related consequences during the study period (proximal effects), and (c) if parents had a lifetime diagnosis of alcoholism that predated the study period (distal effects). We used integrative data analysis to combine samples from two prospective studies to test these hypotheses. Distal effects of parent alcoholism on increased child externalizing symptoms were large and consistent. In addition, proximal and time-varying effects of parent alcohol symptoms were also found. Implications for preventing escalations in externalizing symptoms among this high-risk population are discussed.     

Men’s Discomfort and Anticipated Sexual Misclassification Due to Counter-Stereotypical Behaviors: the Interplay between Traditional Masculinity Norms and Perceived Men’s Femininization

Sex Roles - The present research examines men’s self-conscious discomfort while imagining performing counter-stereotypical (traditionally feminine) behaviors as compared to stereotypical...     

Effects of Parental Acceptance-Rejection on Children’s Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors: A Longitudinal,Multicultural Study

Journal of Child and Family Studies - Grounded in Interpersonal Acceptance-Rejection Theory, this study assessed children’s (N?=?1315) perceptions of maternal and paternal...     

Using the IBM-compatible microcomputer’s serial port as an input-output interface

A general purpose input-output interface is an essential tool in many common research situations. This article describes a simple way to set up the IBM-compatible microcomputer’s RS-232 serial port as an interface with up to four inputs and two outputs. First, aspects of the serial port relevant to its use as an input-output interface are discussed. Next, port access commands needed to control output lines and monitor input lines in the appropriate way are described, and examples in the Turbo Pascal 5.0 language are provided. Finally, a schematic diagram and a discussion of a simple circuit to implement the interface are provided.     

The Affective Temperaments: Differences between Adolescents in the Big Five Model and Cloninger’s Psychobiological Model of Personality

Positive (PA) and negative affect (NA) are indicators or markers of well-being that also reflect stable emotional- temperamental dispositions. In three different studies, self-reported affect was measured by the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The PANAS measures affect as two separate dimensions and was therefore used to generate four affective temperaments (AFTs): self-actualizing (high PA and Low NA), high affective (high PA and high NA), low affective (low PA and low NA), and self-destructive (low PA and high NA). The present set of studies investigated differences in personality between AFTs in an adolescent sample (N?=?398). Personality was measured by two different models: The Big Five and Cloninger’s psychobiological model. The interaction of PA and NA was expected to reveal differences and similarities in intrapersonal behavior measured by both models of personality. The results show that low NA adolescents reported lower levels of neurotic behavior than high NA adolescents. Nevertheless, despite the experience of high NA respectively, low PA, high and low affective reported higher Self-Directedness than self-destructive adolescents. Implications of the AFTs framework are discussed.     

Dynamic Associations between Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Adolescents’ Depressive and Externalizing Symptoms

The current prospective study investigated transactional relations between maternal depressive symptoms and children’s depressive and externalizing symptoms. Participants included 240 children (M age = 11.86 years, SD = 0.56; 53.9% female) and their mothers who were part of a 6-year longitudinal study. Measures of maternal depression (Beck Depression Inventory), child depression (Children’s Depression Inventory), and children’s externalizing symptoms (Youth Self-Report Form) were assessed annually. Data analyses using dynamic latent difference score structural equation models indicated that the observed relations between mothers’ and adolescents’ symptoms were stable across the 6 years. Higher levels of maternal depressive symptoms predicted subsequent elevations in children’s depressive symptoms and in their externalizing problems over time. Among mothers with high initial levels of depression, children’s depressive symptoms predicted subsequent declines in mothers’ depressive symptoms. Children’s externalizing problems were not related to subsequent change in maternal symptoms.     

Child-Oriented or Parent-Oriented Focused Intervention: Which is the Better Way to Decrease Children’s Externalizing Behaviors?

Research has tried to identify risk factors that increase the likelihood of difficulties with externalizing behavior. The relations between individual or environmental factors and externalizing behavior have been especially documented. Child-oriented and parent-oriented interventions have been designed in order to decrease externalizing behavior in preschoolers. To date, however, research has largely been compartmentalized. It is therefore not known whether child-oriented or parent-oriented intervention is more effective in reducing externalizing behavior. The aim of the current study was to answer this question by comparing two 8-week child with two 8-week parent-oriented group programs sharing a common experimental design. This was done in a pseudo-randomized trial conducted with 73 3–6-year-old children displaying clinically relevant levels of externalizing behavior who were assigned to one of the four interventions and 20 control participants who were allocated to a waiting list. The results indicate that the four programs focusing on a specific target variable, i.e., social cognition, inhibition, parental self-efficacy beliefs, or parental verbal responsiveness, are all effective in reducing externalizing behavior among preschoolers. Their effectiveness was moderated neither by their orientation toward the child or the parent nor by their content, suggesting that several effective solutions exist to improve behavioral adaptation in preschoolers. A second important highlight of this study is that, thanks to comparable effect sizes, brief focused programs appear to be a reasonable alternative to long multimodal programs, and may be more cost-effective for children and their families.     

Cognitive Performance in Adolescence: Links With Early Maternal Stimulation and Children’s Anxious Behaviors

Abstract

This study tested a developmental model of cognitive performance in adolescence and explored potential mechanisms explaining the relations of early maternal stimulation and children’s anxious behaviors with adolescents’ cognitive performance. We utilized the NICHD SECCYD dataset (n?=?1,112). Measures included questionnaires, coded observations, and self-report measures from infancy to adolescence. Results revealed that children who experienced greater early maternal stimulation and less anxious behaviors had better cognitive performance at age 15. Children’s English self-efficacy, the quality of child–teacher relationships, and children’s behavioral classroom engagement in middle childhood mediated the relation between early maternal stimulation and adolescent cognitive performance. Identifying pathways from earlier maternal and children’s characteristics to children’s later cognitive performance is an important step toward further understanding why early precursors have a long lasting impact on cognitive performance, and has implications for educational settings.     

On the distinction between Peirce’s abduction and Lipton’s Inference to the best explanation

I argue against the tendency in the philosophy of science literature to link abduction to the inference to the best explanation (IBE), and in particular, to claim that Peircean abduction is a conceptual predecessor to IBE. This is not to discount either abduction or IBE. Rather the purpose of this paper is to clarify the relation between Peircean abduction and IBE in accounting for ampliative inference in science. This paper aims at a proper classification—not justification—of types of scientific reasoning. In particular, I claim that Peircean abduction is an in-depth account of the process of generating explanatory hypotheses, while IBE, at least in Peter Lipton’s thorough treatment, is a more encompassing account of the processes both of generating and of evaluating scientific hypotheses. There is then a two-fold problem with the claim that abduction is IBE. On the one hand, it conflates abduction and induction, which are two distinct forms of logical inference, with two distinct aims, as shown by Charles S. Peirce; on the other hand it lacks a clear sense of the full scope of IBE as an account of scientific inference.