Maternal teaching behaviors and temperament in preschool children

This research investigated the relationship between young children's temperament and maternal teaching techniques in 20 mother-child dyads. Children's temperament was assessed by mothers' reports on the Behavioral Style Questionnaire. Teaching behaviors, as assessed with the Maternal Teaching Observation Technique, were inquiry, directive, negative verbal feedback, modeling, visual cue, physical affection, positive physical control, and negative physical control. Correlations were -.55 to -.60 for activity with mothers' use of verbal cues, children's adaptability and mothers' positive and negative verbal feedback, and children's distractability and mothers' modeling. The need for further research on parent-child interactions is noted.