Parenting cognitions → parenting practices → child adjustment? The standard model

Abstract

In a large-scale (N = 317) prospective 8-year longitudinal multiage, multidomain, multivariate, multisource study, we tested a conservative three-term model linking parenting cognitions in toddlerhood to parenting practices in preschool to classroom externalizing behavior in middle childhood, controlling for earlier parenting practices and child externalizing behavior. Mothers who were more knowledgeable, satisfied, and attributed successes in their parenting to themselves when their toddlers were 20 months of age engaged in increased supportive parenting during joint activity tasks 2 years later when their children were 4 years of age, and 6 years after that their 10-year-olds were rated by teachers as having fewer classroom externalizing behavior problems. This developmental cascade of a "standard model" of parenting applied equally to families with girls and boys, and the cascade from parenting attributions to supportive parenting to child externalizing behavior obtained independent of 12 child, parent, and family covariates. Conceptualizing socialization in terms of cascades helps to identify points of effective intervention.

Figure 1. Standardized model of parenting cognitions predicting supportive parenting and supportive parenting predicting teacher-rated child classroom behavior

Note. All model coefficients are significant at p < .05 unless otherwise noted. Residual terms are excluded from the figure to simplify the presentation and facilitate interpretation. Sen = Sensitivity, Str = Structuring, Non-Int = Nonintrusiveness, SP = Supportive presence, QI = Quality of instruction, I = Intrusiveness, H = Hostility. a Covariance added to the a priori model.

Figure 2. Covariate-controlled standardized model of parenting cognitions predicting supportive parenting and supportive parenting predicting teacher-rated child classroom behavior

Note. All model coefficients are significant at p < .05 unless otherwise noted. All paths between covariates and study variables were tested, but only significant paths are presented. Supportive parenting at 20 months, child hostility/aggression at 4 years, and residual terms are excluded from the figure to simplify the presentation and facilitate interpretation. Mother coping was related to child hostility/aggression at 4 years, but no other variables in the model. SP = Supportive presence, QI = Quality of instruction, I = Intrusiveness, H = Hostility.