Poster #153 - The Influence of Early Difficult Child Temperament on Maternal Sensitivity: Evidence of Moderation by Maternal Personality?

• In Event: 2-055 - Poster Session 06
  In Poster Session: PS 06 Section - Parenting & Parent-Child Relationships

Integrative Statement

Introduction
In considering determinants of parenting behaviors, researchers have increasingly examined the influence of child temperament (e.g. Zadeh, Jenkins, & Pepler, 2010), with a specific focus on “difficult” early child temperament. Studies focused on the influence of an early difficult temperament on parenting have found evidence suggesting that difficult infants evoke less positive parenting behaviors during infancy (Forget‐Dubois et al., 2007). Given that personality is thought to influence resilience in managing stress (Oshio, Taku, Hirano, & Saeed, 2018), some have hypothesized that parent personality may moderate the influence of child temperament on parenting behavior (e.g. Clark, Kochanska, & Ready, 2000). However, few longitudinal studies have examined these relations. This study used a longitudinal design to predict maternal sensitivity from ratings of early difficult temperament, aspects of maternal personality (neuroticism, extraversion, and agreeableness), and the interactions between temperament and these aspects of personality.

Method
The analysis sample consisted of mothers and their children from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development for whom all variables were known (N = 1132). Mothers completed the Infant Temperament Questionnaire when children were 6-months-old, and difficult temperament was calculated by combining scores on the Mood and Adaptability subscales. Mother–child interactions were observed and coded at 36 months. At the 6-month assessment, mothers’ personality was assessed using the NEO Five-Factor Inventory, and subscale scores were calculated for neuroticism, extraversion, and agreeableness. Control variables were child gender, ethnicity, and maternal education.

Results
The hierarchical multiple regression revealed that at Step one, the control variables contributed significantly to the regression model, F(3,1129) = 78.32, p< .001) and accounted for 17.20% of the variance in maternal sensitivity. Adding difficult temperament and the personality subscales explained an additional 5% of variation in maternal sensitivity and this change in R² was significant, F(7,125) = 45.80, p< .001. Adding the interaction terms to the regression model explained an additional 1% of the variation in maternal sensitivity and this change in R² was significant, F(10,1122) = 33.15, p< .001. Agreeableness and difficult temperament uniquely explained 17% and 6% of the variance in maternal sensitivity, respectively. Overall, the model explained 23% of the variance in maternal sensitivity. Results are summarized in Table 1.

Discussion
The results of the hierarchical linear regression revealed that the interaction between difficult temperament and agreeableness significantly predicted maternal sensitivity at 3 years. However, the effect size of this predictor was quite small, and a simple slope analysis revealed that difficult temperament predicted maternal sensitivity at all levels of agreeableness, and vice versa. These findings suggest that while parent personality may not substantially influence the impact of a difficult child temperament on parenting behavior over time, this may partly be due to the strong unique effects of both difficult child temperament and certain aspects of parent personality (such as agreeableness) on parenting behavior. This study extends previous findings on the impact of difficult child temperament on parenting by showing a longitudinal association between early difficult temperament and later parenting behavior.

Authors

• Alex Wheeler, Suffolk University
  Presenting Author

• Rose DiBiase, Suffolk University
  Non-Presenting Author