Poster #62 - Maternal Executive Function Moderates the Effects of Parenting Stress on Harsh Parenting Practices

• In Event: Poster Session 13

Abstract

Early childhood is often associated with increased parental stress (Deater-Deckard & Panneton, 2017), which can lead to increases in harsh parenting practices (Whipple & Webster-Stratton, 1991). This effect has been found to be buffered by higher parental executive function (EF) skills (Monn et al., 2017). It is thought that EF skills allow for top-down regulation of emotion and action, allowing parents to use better strategies when dealing with difficult behavior (Wahler & Dumas, 1989). These skills are particularly important in early childhood when child behavior problems often emerge (Campbell, 1995).

EF skills have been operationalized using composite EF scores (Deater‐Deckard et al., 2012) and domain-specific EF component scores (Sturge-Apple et al., 2014; Monn et al., 2017). However, there is limited research comparing the buffering effects of specific EFs on the relation between maternal stress and harsh parenting. Whereas overall EF scores may moderate the relationship between stress and harsh parenting, understanding whether specific domains of EF drive this effect may help to improve understanding of how to reduce harsh parenting practices. In this study, we examined whether different domains of maternal EF - inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility - differentially buffered the relation between maternal stress and harsh parenting.

Mothers of children aged 2-6 (N = 380; 49.74% boys; 79.95% White) completed online questionnaires and EF tasks through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk Program. Harsh parenting was measured by mothers’ reports of aggression and assault using the Conflict Tactics Scale –Parent Child questionnaire (Straus et al., 1998). Maternal stress was measured by the Parent Stress Inventory (Abidin, 1995). Stroop (inhibitory control), Digit Span (working memory), and Wisconsin Card Sort (cognitive flexibility) computer assessments of EF were administered through the online Inquisit System.

Separate linear regression models were run to analyze the interactions between specific EFs and maternal stress and their effects on harsh parenting. Maternal inhibitory control significantly moderated this relation, such that mothers with higher levels of inhibitory control reported lower levels of harsh parenting than those with average or lower levels of inhibitory control among those with higher stress (b = .0002 SE = .0006922, p = .018). Working memory was also found to be a significant moderator, however, we found that mothers with greater working memory reported higher levels of harsh parenting while under high stress but lower harsh parenting while under lower stress than those with average and low levels of these skills (b = 0.0908, SE = 0.01911, p < 0.001). The same result was found for cognitive flexibility (b = 0.0123, SE = 0.004847, p = 0.01).

Results suggest inhibitory control may drive the buffering effect of EF on mothers’ harsh parenting practices compared to cognitive flexibility or working memory, which may have more complex relations with parenting under conditions of higher stress. Implications for the measurement of EF in parents and the reduction and prevention of harsh parenting with mothers experiencing higher stress are discussed.

Authors

• Alexa Lee Nordine, Pennsylvania State University, University Park
  Presenting Author

• Helena Her, Pennsylvania State University, University Park

• Catherine Diercks, Pennsylvania State University, University Park

• Erika S. Lunkenheimer, Pennsylvania State University, University Park