Relationships among parenting self-efficacy, general self-efficacy, child and maternal characteristics, and parenting satisfaction in 145 mothers of school-aged children were examined. Higher parenting self-efficacy was observed in mothers of less emotional and more sociable children, and among mothers who were better educated, had higher family incomes, and reported more previous experience with children. Higher parenting self-efficacy and several mother and child variables predicted greater satisfaction with parenting. Influences of mothers' experience with children other than their own and maternal education on parenting satisfaction were mediated by parenting self-efficacy. Suggestions concerning the conceptualization and measurement of parenting self-efficacy are provided.
This study was designed to examine parenting self-efficacy beliefs as correlates of mothers' competence in parenting toddlers and as predictors of toddlers' behavior and development. Sixty-eight predominantly middle-class mother-toddler pairs participated in this study. Mothers completed questionnaires, toddlers were administered the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID-II), and each dyad participated in the Crowell Procedure, which is designed to observe parent and toddler behaviors in a semistructured laboratory context. Although domain-general and domain-specific parenting self-efficacy beliefs were not associated with parenting competence, domain-specific beliefs were significantly related to toddlers' scores on the Mental Scale of the BSID-II and several behaviors observed during the Crowell Procedure (Affection Towards Mother, Avoidance of Mother, Compliance, Enthusiasm, and Negativity). Implications of the findings are discussed.RESUMEN: Este estudio fue diseñado con el fin de examinar las creencias que se tienen de la autoeficacia en la crianza como correlativos de la capacidad de las madres de criar a sus infantes, así como puntos de predicción de la conducta y desarrollo de los propios infantes. Sesenta y ocho pares de madres y sus infantes, predominantemenmte de clase media, participaron en este estudio. Las madres respondieron cuestionarios; con los infantes se utilizaron las Escalas Bailey para el Desarrollo Infantil. (BSID-II). Cada díada participó en el Procedimiento Crowell, el cual está diseñado para observar las conductas de las madres y de los infantes dentro de un contexto de laboratorio semiestructurado. Aunque las creencias de la propia eficacia como madres, tanto en los aspectos generales como específicos no estuvieron asociadas con la capacidad materna de criar, las creencias específicas estuvieron significativamente relacionadas con los puntajes de los infantes en la Escala Mental de BSID-II y varios de los comportamientos observados durante el Procedimiento Crowell (el afecto hacia la madre, el evitar la madre, obediencia, entusiasmo y negatividad). Se discuten las implicaciones de estos resultados.RÉ SUMÉ : Cette étude a été conçue pour examiner les croyances d'auto-efficacité de parentage en tant que corrélats de la compétence des mères pour le parentage des enfants en bas âge et en tant que facteurs de prédiction du comportement et du développement des enfants en bas âge. Soixante huit paires mère-jeune enfant (issus de la bourgeoisie) ont participé à cette étude. Les mères remplirent des questionnaires, on
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