Abstract
The goal of the current study was to examine how changes in parenting due to a parenting intervention designed to decrease
permissive parenting affected the quality of children’s peer interactions. Forty-nine mothers of toddlers aged 2–3 years participated
in a 12-week intervention in which half got hands-on training and practice using positive guidance in a toddler classroom
setting, while the other half learned positive guidance solely via a seminar format. To observe children’s peer interactions,
toddlers were divided into 8 groups of 5–7 children mixed across condition. Observers coded mothers’ empathy, permissiveness,
and positive guidance parenting strategies. Children’s peer interactions were coded for antisocial behaviors, verbal aggression,
physical aggression, prosocial behaviors, positive social bids, and empathy. Prior analysis of this intervention indicated
that mothers in both conditions showed reductions in permissiveness over the course of the intervention. Results from the
present study indicated that reductions in permissiveness predicted decreases in toddlers’ verbal aggression. Maternal empathy
was a moderator such that mothers low in empathy who got hands-on training in positive guidance had children who demonstrated
the greatest reductions in antisocial behaviors.
permissive parenting affected the quality of children’s peer interactions. Forty-nine mothers of toddlers aged 2–3 years participated
in a 12-week intervention in which half got hands-on training and practice using positive guidance in a toddler classroom
setting, while the other half learned positive guidance solely via a seminar format. To observe children’s peer interactions,
toddlers were divided into 8 groups of 5–7 children mixed across condition. Observers coded mothers’ empathy, permissiveness,
and positive guidance parenting strategies. Children’s peer interactions were coded for antisocial behaviors, verbal aggression,
physical aggression, prosocial behaviors, positive social bids, and empathy. Prior analysis of this intervention indicated
that mothers in both conditions showed reductions in permissiveness over the course of the intervention. Results from the
present study indicated that reductions in permissiveness predicted decreases in toddlers’ verbal aggression. Maternal empathy
was a moderator such that mothers low in empathy who got hands-on training in positive guidance had children who demonstrated
the greatest reductions in antisocial behaviors.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-10
- DOI 10.1007/s10826-012-9631-z
- Authors
- Caroline Christopher, Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station, A2700, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Rachel Saunders, Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station, A2700, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Deborah Jacobvitz, Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station, A2700, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Rosalinda Burton, Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station, A2700, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Nancy Hazen, Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station, A2700, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Journal Journal of Child and Family Studies
- Online ISSN 1573-2843
- Print ISSN 1062-1024