PARENTING

Parenting

Parenting

Quantitative study Article 1

Introduction

Externalizing problems in preschool children have long been the focus of increased attention in the world as they have their role as precursors of antisocial behavior in adulthood.

Subjects And Methods

The sample consisted of 600 children, 288 girls and 312 boys aged 4 to 6 years attending day care centers affiliated with a Welfare Organization in Tabriz, Iran. Sixty-six percent children were aged 48 to 60 months and 24% 62 to 72 months. Fifty-six percent children had working mothers while the remaining 44% had mothers who were housewives. All subjects completed a general information questionnaire about the child and the mother. The 19 items of the Behavior Checklist (BCL), 15 items of the adaptability, intensity of reaction and distractibility scales of the Temperament Measurement Schedule (TMS),69 items of the Disciplining Style Interview (DSI), and finally 62 items of the Parenting Practices Questionnaire (PPQ)13 were administered to all subjects (Lengua, 2000, 232-244).

Results

Behavior problems were seen in 12% of preschoolers. Temper tantrums were reported in 72%, food fads in 58%, and conflicts with siblings in 46% of the children (Table 1).

Table 1. Correlation between behavior problems and discipline style

The general pattern of temperament in preschoolers appears to be characterized by average scores on adaptability and intensity of reaction and average to high scores on distractibility (defined as soothability).

Table 2. Comparison between children with and without negative temperament.

The parenting style used with most preschoolers was authoritative, but with power assertive discipline style. Children with (10.36±4.9) and without negative temperament (8.6±2.6) did not differ in terms of behavior problems (t=1.20, p>.05); however, distractibility correlated negatively with behavior problems (Table 2).

Table 3. Comparison between children with and without negative temperament on parenting style factors and discipline style.

Mothers of children with negative temperament were not significantly more authoritarian or permissive than mothers ...