3-180 - Cognition and Parenting in Low-Income Families

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

Parents’ cognitions, particularly their cognitive control, play an important role in parenting and children’s development. Yet, empirical evidence is limited to studies of mothers and few include child outcomes. The limited empirical evidence supports a strong association between mothers’ cognitive control, parenting behaviors, and child outcomes. In this panel, we extend this work by focusing on the association among mothers’ and fathers’ cognitive control, parenting behaviors, and child development in low-income families. Studies presented here include fathers and mothers, explore potential mediators and moderators, and highlight practical implications.

The first two papers examine the role of maternal executive function (EF) and cognitive control in maternal practices and children’s EF and behavior problems in U.S. samples. Results demonstrate the importance of maternal cognitive control for both mothering behaviors and child outcomes. The second paper’s results reveal that SES moderated this association.

The third paper examines both maternal and paternal EF with a Chilean sample, addressing notable gaps in the existing literature. Their findings demonstrate that EF plays an important role in parenting for both mothers and fathers, as well as to children’s EF skills. The fourth paper uses a U.S. sample of ethnic minority families to address similar research goals. Their results suggest that mothers’ and fathers’ EF have differential effects on children’s social and language development.

Collectively, these studies highlight the importance of mothers’ and fathers’ cognitive control in parenting and children’s development. Those working to improve outcomes for low-income families should consider targeting parents’ cognitive control in their efforts.

Sub Unit

• Parenting & Parent-Child Relationships

Chairs

• Kelsey Garcia, University of Maryland

• Natasha Cabrera, University of Maryland

Individual Presentations

• Maternal Executive Function (EF) as a Predictor of Parenting Practices and Children’s EF - Presenting Author: Irem Korucu, Purdue University; Non-Presenting Author: Sara Schmitt, Purdue University

• Child Misbehavior and Negative Parenting: Moderating Role of SES and Maternal Cognitive Regulation - Presenting Author: MAMATHA CHARY, University of Massachusetts-Amherst; Non-Presenting Author: Maureen E. McQuillan, Indiana University; Non-Presenting Author: John Bates, Indiana University - Bloomington; Non-Presenting Author: Kirby Deater-Deckard, University Massachusetts

• The Contribution of Fathers’ and Mothers´ Executive Function and Parenting on Children´s Executive Function - Presenting Author: Daniela Aldoney, Universidad del Desarrollo; Non-Presenting Author: Fernanda Prieto, Centro de Apego y Regulación Emocional (CARE), Facultad de Psicología, Universidad del Desarrollo; Non-Presenting Author: Soledad Coo, Universidad del Desarrollo

• Mothers’ and Fathers’ Executive Function: Influences on Parenting and Early Child Development - Presenting Author: Kelsey Garcia, University of Maryland; Non-Presenting Author: Natasha Cabrera, University of Maryland; Non-Presenting Author: Guadalupe Diaz, University of California, Irvine; Non-Presenting Author: Diletta Mittone, University of Maryland; Non-Presenting Author: Stephanie Reich, University of California, Irvine