Child Sex Differences in the Associations Between Positive Parenting and Child Problem Behaviors

• In Event: Poster Session 03
  In Poster Session: PS 03 Topic - Parenting & Parent-Child Relationships

Abstract

Researchers in parenting and child development often focus on negative, potentially detrimental behaviors, such as controlling and intrusive behavior. Rather than focusing on negative parenting behaviors, there has been interest in what associations positive parenting behaviors may have with problem child behaviors, including externalizing (e.g., hyperactivity, conduct problems, antisocial behavior, aggression, and attention) and internalizing (e.g., depression, anxiety) behaviors (Hannigan, Walaker, Waszczuk, McAdams, & Eley, 2017). The purpose of this study was to investigate how positive parenting behavior, specifically supporting positive behavior, setting limits, and proactive parenting (McEachern et al., 2012), were associated with child externalizing and internalizing problem behaviors. As sex differences have been found in the associations between parenting and children’s externalizing behaviors (Karreman, van Tuijl, van Aken, & Deković, 2009), we investigated these results separately for boys and girls.

Participants included 38 mothers and their 3- to 5-year-old children (19 boys; Mage = 52.55 months, SDage = 8.36). The average family income was closest to the range of $60,000 to $74,999 (M = 5.53, where 1 = less than $14,999 and 7 = over $100,000), and the majority of mothers were married (92%). The majority of children were white (82%) and not Hispanic (92%). Mothers reported on their parenting behaviors using the Parenting Young Children questionnaire (PARYC; McEachern et al., 2012). The PARYC measures supporting positive behavior (e.g., ‘‘Notice and praise your child’s good behavior?’’), setting limits (e.g., ‘‘Make sure your child followed the rules you set all or most of the time?’’), and proactive parenting (e.g., ‘‘Prepare your child for a challenging situation?’’). Parents also reported on their children’s internalizing and externalizing behaviors using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ; Goodman, 1997).

There were no significant mean-level sex differences in study variables, but the associations between parenting and child problem behavior was different for boys and girls when controlling for child age. For boys, higher levels of parental supporting positive behavior and setting limits was associated with lower levels of externalizing behavior (see Table 1). These associations were not significant for girls. The only significant difference in associations for boys and girls was between supporting positive behavior and externalizing behavior (z = 1.98, p < .05).

Despite the absence of mean-level differences in the study variables for boys and girls, negative associations were found between positive parenting (i.e., supporting positive behavior and setting limits) and externalizing behavior for boys, but not for girls. This finding may be a result of differential treatment by mothers even when boys are not reported to display higher levels of externalizing behavior. Furthermore, the lack of significant associations with internalizing behavior may be a result of its less disruptive nature compared to that of externalizing behavior. This research, despite a limited sample size, further supports the importance of investigating associations between parenting and child problem behaviors separately by child sex (Karreman et al., 2009).

Authors

• Kimberly L. Day, University of West Florida
  Presenting Author

• Claney Outzen, University of West Florida
  Non-Presenting Author

• Olivia P. Cutshaw, University of West Florida
  Non-Presenting Author