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Parenting and Children's Internalizing Symptoms: How Important are Parents?
Cathy M van der Sluis1, Francisca J A van Steensel1, Susan M Bögels1
1Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 127, 1018 WS Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Journal of Child and Family Studies
|November 14, 2015
Summary
Parenting practices like punishment and reassurance impact children's internalizing symptoms. Fathers' parenting is as crucial as mothers' for child mental health, suggesting their inclusion in treatments.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Parenting behaviors significantly correlate with children's internalizing symptoms.
- Factors influencing this relationship, such as child age, gender, and parent gender, require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if behavioral assessment of parenting in anxious contexts strengthens the link with internalizing symptoms.
- To determine the influence of child age, child gender, and parent gender on the parenting-internalizing symptom relationship.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 211 children (aged 4-12) including community and clinically anxious children participated.
- Parents completed questionnaires on children's internalizing symptoms and specific parenting behaviors.
- The study examined parenting behaviors like positive reinforcement, punishment, force, reinforcement of dependency, and modeling/reassurance.
Main Results:
- Increased parental punishment and decreased modeling/reassurance were associated with higher child internalizing symptoms.
- Child gender, child age, parent gender, and clinical anxiety status did not significantly alter the parenting-internalizing symptom association.
- Paternal parenting demonstrated equal importance to maternal parenting concerning children's internalizing symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Parenting behaviors, particularly punishment and reassurance, are key factors in children's internalizing symptoms.
- Fathers' involvement in parenting is as vital as mothers' for addressing children's internalizing symptoms.
- Clinical interventions for child internalizing symptoms should consider including fathers in treatment strategies.
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