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Maternal BIS Sensitivity, Overprotective Parenting, and Children's Internalizing Behaviors.
Elizabeth J Kiel1, Danielle J Maack
1Miami University.
Personality and Individual Differences
|August 21, 2012
Summary
Maternal sensitivity to the Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) is linked to children's internalizing problems, partly through overprotective parenting. This suggests a shared disposition towards inhibition influenced by parenting.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Parental Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) sensitivity is understudied regarding its link to early childhood internalizing problems.
- The relationship between parental BIS sensitivity, parenting behaviors, and child internalizing symptoms requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between maternal BIS sensitivity and toddlers' internalizing behaviors.
- To investigate whether overprotective parenting mediates the relationship between maternal BIS sensitivity and child internalizing problems.
- To control for maternal internalizing symptomatology in this analysis.
Main Methods:
- Assessed maternal BIS sensitivity, overprotective parenting, and toddlers' internalizing behaviors in 91 mother-toddler dyads.
- Employed statistical analyses to explore mediation and direct effects, controlling for maternal internalizing symptoms.
Main Results:
- Heightened maternal BIS sensitivity was associated with increased overprotective parenting and higher levels of toddler internalizing behaviors.
- Overprotective parenting partially mediated the link between maternal BIS sensitivity and children's internalizing problems.
- Maternal BIS sensitivity retained a marginal direct association with child internalizing behaviors.
Conclusions:
- Maternal BIS sensitivity and toddler internalizing behaviors may reflect a shared underlying disposition towards behavioral inhibition.
- Overprotective parenting partially explains the pathway through which maternal BIS sensitivity influences child internalizing problems.
- Findings highlight the interplay between parental traits, parenting styles, and early child psychopathology.
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