Effects of maternal discipline and nurturance on toddler's behavior and affect

Oppositional behavior problems frequently begin in early childhood and remain stable over time. Correlational data point to the importance of parental discipline and nurturance in their development. This study investigated experimentally some of the hypotheses suggested by these correlational data. The effects of immediate, short, firm reprimands and delayed, long, gentle reprimands on transgressions and appropriate play were examined in the context of either high or low nurturant maternal interaction. Forty children (18-31 months) and their mothers participated. Children exposed to reprimands that were immediate, short, and firm transgressed significantly less often and exhibited more negative affect than those exposed to reprimands that were delayed, long, and gentle. The only effect of nurturance was on children's negative affect, with a high level of nurturance increasing negative affect when immediate, short, firm reprimands were delivered. The results indicate that the manner in which reprimands are delivered is critical in influencing children's misbehavior, but the role of nurturance during disciplinary situations is less clear.