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Longitudinal relations between parenting and child adjustment in young children
Els Gadeyne1, Pol Ghesquière, Patrick Onghena
1Department of Pedagogical Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium. Els.gadeyne@ped.kuleuven.ac.be
Summary
Parenting styles influence child development. Low support and high control in parenting were linked to lower math achievement, while child behavior problems predicted parenting adjustments. The predictive impact remained limited when considering prior adjustment.
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- Developmental Psychology
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Parenting behaviors are crucial for child development.
- Understanding the bidirectional influences between parenting and child outcomes is essential.
- Previous research suggests links between parenting and academic/behavioral issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the predictive relationships between parenting practices and children's academic achievement.
- To examine the predictive relationships between parenting practices and children's behavior problems.
- To explore the reciprocal influences of parenting and child adjustment over time.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study design tracking 352 children and their parents from kindergarten to 2nd grade.
- Data collection involved parent reports on parenting behaviors and child reports on academic achievement and behavior problems.
- Statistical analyses were employed to assess predictive associations.
Main Results:
- Low supportive and high controlling parenting were modestly associated with poorer subsequent math achievement.
- Children's externalizing and attention problems predicted increased maternal control and decreased paternal support.
- High parental support combined with high control was linked to elevated child behavior problems.
Conclusions:
- Parenting practices show a modest predictive link to academic achievement and child behavior.
- Child behavior problems also influence parenting behaviors, indicating a dynamic interplay.
- The predictive power of parenting for child adjustment, and vice versa, was limited when prior adjustment was controlled.