Beyond Individual Differences: Dynamic Coupling of Mother-Child Positive Behaviors Predicts Child-Peer Interactions

• In Event: Poster Session 12
  In Poster Session: PS 12 Topic - Social Relationships

Abstract

Positive dyadic exchanges in parent-child interactions play an important role in young children’s social development (Kochanska, 2002). However, previous research has focused on global, between-dyad characteristics in relation to children’s social outcomes. Dynamic interaction patterns between mothers and children may make unique contributions to children’s social adjustment beyond individual parent and child behaviors (Garnic & Patterson, 2006). Wiggins’ (1979) theory of interpersonal space underscores the importance of both interpersonal connection and individuality or independence in social interactions, indicating that it may be important to examine dynamic patterns related to both responsiveness and assertiveness. Thus, we examined whether stronger dynamic coupling of positive behaviors (i.e., maternal sensitivity, child responsiveness and assertiveness) during mother-child play assessed during toddlerhood predicts children’s more positive interaction quality with both familiar and unfamiliar peers during the preschool years, after controlling for individual differences in maternal and child behavior.

At Time 1, 127 mother-child dyads (M age = 32.7; 66 girls) participated in a laboratory visit that included a 15-min play session. Maternal sensitivity, child responsiveness to maternal bids, and child assertiveness (e.g., requests, directives) during play were rated on 4-point scales in 30-s intervals. At Time 2, (N = 114, M age = 38.81), parents reported on their child’s interactions with a close friend, with higher scores indicating more positive interaction. To assess children’s behavior with an unfamiliar peer at Time 2, children of the same sex and approximately the same age were randomly paired into 57 dyads and observed during a 15-min free play and 10-min novel toy task. Children’s responsiveness and assertiveness during these tasks were rated on 3-point scales in 30-s intervals and averaged to obtain scores for each child.

Residual dynamic structural equation models assessed (a) within-person associations between maternal sensitivity and child behaviors in a given 30-sec interval during play at Time 1, and (b) the extent to which these within-person associations predicted parent-reported interaction quality with a close friend and children’s observed behavior with an unfamiliar peer at Time 2. Models controlled for mean levels of maternal and child behavior during play. Results showed that stronger positive coupling of within-person increases in maternal sensitivity (relative to each mother’s average) and child responsiveness in a given 30-sec interval of the play session predicted children’s more positive peer interactions with a close friend (see Figure 1). Stronger positive within-person coupling of maternal sensitivity and children’s assertiveness, on the other hand, predicted children’s later assertiveness with an unfamiliar peer (see Figure 2).

As hypothesized, dynamic positive exchanges in mother-child dyads predicted children’s later peer interactions, over and above mean levels of maternal and child behavior. Stronger positive coupling of maternal sensitivity and child responsiveness may provide young children with cooperative scripts for later social interaction with close relationship partners, such as friends. On the other hand, stronger positive coupling of maternal sensitivity and child assertiveness may promote children’s efficacy in managing later interactions with new interaction partners.

Authors

• Niyantri Ravindran, University of Georgia
  Presenting Author

• Nancy McElwain, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  Non-Presenting Author