Parental Education and Aggressive Behavior in Children: A Moderated-Mediation Model for Inhibitory Control and Gender

Abstract

Aggressive behaviors are highly prevalent in children. Given their negative consequences, it is necessary to look for protective factors that prevent or reduce their progress in early development before they become highly unshakable. With a sample of 147 children, the present study aimed to assess the relation between parental education and inhibitory control in the aggressive behavior of children aged from 7 to 10 years. The participants completed a go/no-go task to assess inhibitory control, whilst their parents reported their education level, and their teachers rated the aggressive behavior of the children through the Teacher Rating Scale (TRS) of the Behavior Assessment System for Children 2 (BASC-2). The results showed that both parental education and inhibitory control determined aggressive behavior in children. In addition, inhibitory control partially mediated the associations between parental education and aggressive behavior after accounting for age. However, a moderated mediation model revealed that lower parental education was associated with higher levels of aggressive behavior, which, in girls occurred independently of inhibitory control. In contrast, inhibitory control mediated this relation in boys. These results suggest the importance of parental education and inhibitory control in the aggressive behavior of children, supporting the idea that both constructs are relevant for understanding these conduct problems in schools, particularly in boys. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed, along with possible future lines of investigation.

Prenatal risk and physical aggression during the first years of life: The gender‐specific role of inhibitory control

“…Thus, despite the fact that results are not always consistent, the majority of studies find gender influences in inhibitory control and aggressive behavior, thereby underlining the importance of considering gender as a possible moderator when examining mediation effects of inhibitory control in risk-aggression associations (Cabello, Gutierrez-Cobo, & Fernandez-Berrocal, 2017;Granero et al, 2015). Cabello et al (2017) examined the role of gender in relation to parental educational level, inhibitory control, and aggression in a school age sample. It was found that inhibitory control mediated the negative relation between parental educational level and teacher-rated aggression, but only for boys.…”

“…Thus, despite the fact that results are not always consistent, the majority of studies find gender influences in inhibitory control and aggressive behavior, thereby underlining the importance of considering gender as a possible moderator when examining mediation effects of inhibitory control in risk–aggression associations (Cabello, Gutierrez‐Cobo, & Fernandez‐Berrocal, ; Granero et al., ). Cabello et al.…”

“…Cabello et al. () examined the role of gender in relation to parental educational level, inhibitory control, and aggression in a school age sample. It was found that inhibitory control mediated the negative relation between parental educational level and teacher‐rated aggression, but only for boys.…”

¿Qué creen y aconsejan psicólogos (as) chilenos (as) y costarricenses sobre la crianza de los (as) hijos (as) ?

“…In this regard, this psychologist's professional knowledge, expressed in his ST, is in line with studies on the link between several parental traits and their children's behavior (e.g. Cabello, Gutiérrez-Cobo, & Fernández-Berrocal, 2017); specifically, the role of parents' emotions and their influence on child disruptive behavior problems has also been studied (though not in Latin America) (e.g. Stormshak, Bierman, McMahon, Lengua & Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group, 2000).…”

Padres autoritarios e ira en deportistas y practicantes de actividad física [Authoritarian Parents and Anger Levels in Athletes and Physical Practitioners]

“…Por otro parte, en otros trabajos se relacionan los estilos educativos parentales con la emoción de ira y las conductas agresivas (Cabello, Gutiérrez-Cobo y Fernández-Berrocal, 2017; De la Torre-Cruz, García-Linares y Casanova-Arias, 2014; Pelegrín y Garcés de los Fayos, 2009). De manera que, De la Torre-Cruz et al (2014) mostraron que los padres autoritarios, con bajo nivel de afecto y con alto nivel de control, se relacionan con la expresión de conductas agresivas.…”