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Review
. 2022 Sep;93(5):1231-1248.
doi: 10.1111/cdev.13764. Epub 2022 Mar 31.

Parental sensitivity and child behavioral problems: A meta-analytic review

Jessica E Cooke  1 , Audrey-Ann Deneault  1 , Chloe Devereux  1 , Rachel Eirich  1 , R M Pasco Fearon  2 , Sheri Madigan  1
Affiliations
Review

Parental sensitivity and child behavioral problems: A meta-analytic review

Jessica E Cooke et al. Child Dev. 2022 Sep.

Abstract

Meta-analytic associations between observed parental sensitivity and child behavioral problems were examined (children aged 0-17 years). Studies (k = 108, N = 28,114) contained sociodemographically diverse samples, primarily from North America and Europe, reporting on parent-child dyads (95% mothers; 54% boys). Sensitivity significantly related to internalizing (k = 69 studies; N = 14,729; r = -.08, 95% CI [-.12, -.05]) and externalizing (k = 94; N = 25,418; r = -.14, 95% CI [-.17, -.11]) problems, with stronger associations found for externalizing. For internalizing problems, associations were significantly stronger among samples with low socioeconomic status (SES) versus mid-high SES, in peer-reviewed versus unpublished dissertations, and in studies using composite versus single scale sensitivity measures. No other moderators emerged as significant.

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