The Association Between Positive Parenting and Externalizing Behaviour

Abstract

The present study examined the role of positive parenting on externalizing behaviors in a longitudinal, genetically informative sample. It often is assumed that positive parenting prevents behavior problems in children via an environmentally mediated process. Alternatively, the association may be due to either an evocative gene-environment correlation, in which parents react to children’s genetically-influenced behavior in a positive way, or a passive gene-environment correlation, where parents passively transmit a risk environment and the genetic risk factor for the behavioral outcome to their children. The present study estimated the contribution of these processes in the association between positive parenting and children’s externalizing behavior. Positive parenting was assessed via observations at ages 7, 9, 14, 24, and 36 months and externalizing behaviors were assessed through parent report at ages 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, and 12 years. The significant association between positive parenting and externalizing behavior was negative, with children of mothers who showed significantly more positive parenting during toddlerhood having lower levels of externalizing behavior in childhood; however, there was not adequate power to distinguish whether this covariation was due to genetic, shared environmental, or nonshared environmental influences.

The development of children’s inhibition: Does parenting matter?

“…Supportive parenting is also thought to enhance children's social development by engaging them to be active participants in the interaction and by giving them responsibilities. Supportive parenting has been mainly related to positive outcomes for children (Bailey, Hill, Oesterle, & Hawkins, 2009;Boeldt et al, 2012;Hipwell et al, 2008;Rohner, 1986), whereas negative control has been repeatedly associated with negative outcomes (Bailey et al, 2009;Barnett, Shanahan, Deng, Haskett, & Cox, 2010;Lansford et al, 2011).…”

The transactional process between the relationships with caregivers and children's externalizing behavior

“…Significant relations between QR with caregivers and children's EB have been widely reported in previous studies, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally (Caspi et al, 2004;Daley, Renyard, & Sonuga-Barke, 2005;Peris & Baker, 2000). Overall, a relationship characterized for instance by emotional support and warmth has been related to positive outcomes in children (Boeldt et al, 2012). Conversely, a relationship characterized for instance by criticism and rejection has been repeatedly identified as a risk factor for developing EB (Hoeve et al, 2009).…”

Gene-Environment Interplay in Parenting Young Children

“…Indeed, significant genetic correlations were found between parental negativity and various parent-rated developmental problems in the infant: conduct problems (although shared environment mediation was found for observations; mean age = 43 months; Deater-Deckard 2000; mean age = 4 years; Alemany et al 2013), low prosocial behavior (ages 3, 4 and 7; Knafo and Plomin 2006), externalizing problems (but only in boys; 7, 9, 14, 24 and 36 months; Boeldt et al 2012), antisocial behavior (ages 4 and 7; Larsson et al 2008). However, there is evidence of environmental mediation of the risk for antisocial behavior via parental negative feelings toward the infant (Larsson et al 2008).…”

“…However, there is evidence of environmental mediation of the risk for antisocial behavior via parental negative feelings toward the infant (Larsson et al 2008). Shared environment also contributes to several protective cycles of parenting, namely the association of high parental positivity with prosocial behavior (Knafo and Plomin 2006) and low externalizing behavior (but only in girls; Boeldt et al 2012).…”