Internalization of Rules and Externalization Behaviors in Chinese Children: Moderations of Parenting and Child Self-Regulation

• In Event: Parenting-Temperament Transactions in Early Childhood Across Cultures

Abstract

Parenting combines with child self-regulation (e.g., committed compliance and effortful control) in carving child (mal)adjustment including internalization of rules and externalizing behaviors. Such person-by-environment effects are examined under the guidance of several models, including the differential-susceptibility model (susceptible children do better in positive environments but worse in negative ones), the diathesis-stress model (vulnerable children are hindered more by stressful environments), the vantage-sensitivity model (sensitive children benefit more from supportive environments), and the goodness-of-fit model (which aspect of parenting promotes or hinders child adjustment depends on children’s levels of self-regulation) (see Figure 1).
A full range of parenting (positive and negative) and child outcomes (positive and negative) are needed to distinguish among these models (see Slagt, Dubas, Dekovic, & van Aken (2016) for a full discussion). However, past studies have focused only on either the positive or negative side of such person-by-environment interactions thereby making it difficult to determine which model best applies. Moreover, most studies have been conducted with Western samples questioning the generalizability of these findings.
The current research addresses these gaps by examining whether parenting-by-self-regulation interactions apply to Chinese parent-child dyads and investigating which model is best supported. Both positive (respect for autonomy) and negative (negative control) parenting and both adjustment (internalization of rules) and maladjustment (externalizing behaviors) are examined. Drawing from a 5-wave longitudinal observational study of 95 Chinese families assessed when children were 14 through 84 months old, we tested these associations in two studies. Study 1 focused on how toddlerhood parenting and child committed compliance predict preschool (mal)adjustment and Study 2 focused on how preschool parenting and child effortful control predict childhood adjustment.
In study 1, we coded maternal respect for autonomy and negative control during free-plays at 14 and 25 months. Toddlers’ committed compliance was observed in a cleanup task at 25 months. At 60 months, internalization of maternal and experimenter rules was measured by an internalized cleanup task and a cheating game task. Externalizing behaviors were measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Goodman, 1997). Several moderations were found (see Table 1). Region-of-significance analyses indicated that for children high on committed compliance, respect for autonomy positively predicted internalization of rules, whereas for children low on committed compliance, negative control predicted higher internalization of rules and fewer externalizing behaviors.
In study 2, we coded maternal respect for autonomy and negative control at 38 months. Child cool and hot effortful control were measured with a Stroop-like inhibition task and a delay-of-gratification task at 60 months. Observed internalization of maternal and experimenter rules and mother-reported internalization in everyday life (Kochanska, DeVet, Goldman, Murray, & Putnam, 1994) were assessed at 60 and 84 months. Two significant moderations were found (see Table 1). Region-of-significance analyses indicated that for children low on either cool or hot effortful control, respect for autonomy negatively predicted later internalization.
Taken together, these findings support a goodness-of-fit model, instead of other models, among Chinese children, emphasizing the important contributions of self-regulation in combination with parenting behaviors to child (mal)adjustment throughout the first seven years.

Authors

• Shuyang Dong, Universiteit Utrecht
  Presenting Author

• Judith Semon Dubas, Utrecht University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Maja Deković, Utrecht University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Zhengyan Wang, Capital Normal University
  Non-Presenting Author