Explicating Transactional Patterns of Parent and Child Responsivity in Fragile Families: A Longitudinal Application

• In Event: Poster Session 09
  In Poster Session: PS 09 Topic - Parenting & Parent-Child Relationships

Abstract

Introduction: Development occurs in the context of a transactional framework, with bidirectional parent-child interactions influencing both proximal and distal outcomes (Feldman, 2015; Pardini, 2008). In particular, vocabulary development (Barnett et al., 2012; Helland et al., 2018) is sensitive to parenting qualities including warmth, sensitivity, and access to learning enrichment activities (Valloton, 2012; Zajicek-Farber, 2010). Similarly, these parenting qualities are influenced by and influence children’s development of pro-social behaviors (Calvete et al., 2015; Laible et al., 2017; Newton et al., 2014; Waller et al., 2014). Prior models have focused on interactions exclusively within infancy, toddlerhood, or adolescence; however a comprehensive understanding of the magnitude, stability, and reciprocity of such interactions across childhood has the potential to better inform early intervention and prevention practices. This study investigated concurrent and successive transactional relationships between parenting quality, child pro-social behavior, and child receptive vocabulary utilizing a longitudinal sample.

Methods: This study utilized Waves 3, 4, and 5 of the Fragile Families and Child Well Being Study (FFCWBS), corresponding to focal child age 3, 5, and 9 years, respectively. Study variables included children’s receptive vocabulary as measured with the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Third Edition (PPVT-3) and pro-social behavior as measured by the Adaptive Social Behavior Inventory (ASBI). Parenting quality was measured with the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME).

Results: A series of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with full-information likelihood (FIML) estimation (n = 3,422) including child prosocial behavior, receptive vocabulary, and parenting quality was tested to determine a best-fitting, parsimonious model (Table 1). Compared with the stability model, the cross-lagged model indicated better fit. The parent effects model showed better fit when compared with the cross-lagged model. The transactional model provided a significantly better fit than the parent effects model, indicating the three constructs interacted with each other over time. The final model was trimmed based on significance levels of each parameter (Figure 1). Significant indirect effects were detected. Prosocial behavior at age 3 was associated with parenting quality at age 9. Receptive vocabulary at age 3 was linked to parenting quality at age 9 via receptive vocabulary at age 5, and related to parenting quality at age 9. Parenting quality at age 3 explained prosocial behavior at age 9, and predicted receptive vocabulary at age 9.

Discussion: Our findings indicate significant, positive transactional effects between child pro-social behavior and receptive vocabulary, and parenting quality across all three stages of early development. The magnitude of these transactional effects steadily declined over time, highlighting the importance of early synergistic parent-child interactions. Patterns of change in child pro-social behavior skills and parenting quality remained positive and relatively stable, while observed growth in child receptive vocabulary skills increased in magnitude over time. Indirect effects specified the role of receptive vocabulary, as well as the bolstering role of prosocial behavior, in eliciting responsive parenting quality over time. By utilizing a large longitudinal sample we uncovered transactional patterns in parent-child responsivity and specified how the magnitude and stability of these reciprocal behaviors are evolving across childhood.

Authors

• Jessica Elaine Blume, Texas Tech University
  Presenting Author

• SuJung Park, Texas Tech University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Miranda Cox, Texas Tech University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Ann M Mastergeorge, Texas Tech University
  Non-Presenting Author