Parent‐child relationship buffers the impact of maternal psychological control on aggression in temperamentally surgent children

Abstract

Children's temperamental surgency is associated with later child behavioral problems. However, the underlying mechanisms linking child surgency and child aggression, such as negative parental control, are relatively understudied. Moreover, the potential protective effect of a close parent‐child relationship on these associations remains untested, particularly among non‐White families. Participants included 259 Chinese American preschoolers (Mage = 4.5 years, SD = .9 years, 50% girls) and their mothers (Mage = 37.9 years, SD = 4.7 years), the present study examined the moderating effects of parent‐child relationship quality on the association between mother‐rated child surgency and teacher‐rated child aggression as mediated by maternal psychological control. Overall, results showed that child surgency was linked positively to maternal psychological control, which, in turn, led to higher levels of child aggression six months later, but only when the parent‐child relationship quality was less optimal. These findings indicate that psychological control is one underlying mechanism linking child temperament and child maladjustment, and that parent‐child relationship quality is an important protective factor. Findings also expand an existing theoretical framework by explicating how these variables are applicable to an Asian American population, suggesting the critical buffering role that parent‐child relationship quality plays. The study findings inform efforts to mitigate the potential negative effect of psychological control in reducing childhood aggression.

All in the family: The complementary protective roles of spousal and other family support for Chinese immigrant mothers’ life satisfaction over time.

“…This study is part of a larger longitudinal project focused on Asian immigrant families’ adjustment and child development (e.g., Seo et al, 2018; Sun et al, 2023). We recruited participants from several local organizations serving Asian American or immigrant communities, including churches, preschools, language schools, grocery stores, libraries, and community centers in the Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia regions.…”