TY - JOUR
T1 - The protective role of parent positive personality and emotional availability in toddler problem behavior
AU - Rea-Sandin, Gianna
AU - Vasquez-O’brien, T. Caitlin
AU - Lemery-Chalfant, Kathryn
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 by Wayne State University Press.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - This study examined the mediating role of emotional availability in the relation between parent positive personality and toddler problem behavior. The sample comprised 654 twins at 12 and 32 months. Primary caregivers (>95% mothers) completed six measures indexing parent positive personality assessed at 12 months, and emotional availability and toddler problem behaviors assessed at both times. Parent positive personality was positively associated with emotional availability and negatively associated with problem behavior. The indirect path from parent positive personality to problem behavior through emotional availability was significant, and parent positive personality was no longer significantly related to problem behavior, suggesting full mediation. Although problem behaviors were heritable, over half of the variance was due to the shared environment, pointing to early childhood as a time when parent characteristics and behaviors may have maximum influence. Parental emotional responsiveness could serve to reduce problem behaviors in young children.
AB - This study examined the mediating role of emotional availability in the relation between parent positive personality and toddler problem behavior. The sample comprised 654 twins at 12 and 32 months. Primary caregivers (>95% mothers) completed six measures indexing parent positive personality assessed at 12 months, and emotional availability and toddler problem behaviors assessed at both times. Parent positive personality was positively associated with emotional availability and negatively associated with problem behavior. The indirect path from parent positive personality to problem behavior through emotional availability was significant, and parent positive personality was no longer significantly related to problem behavior, suggesting full mediation. Although problem behaviors were heritable, over half of the variance was due to the shared environment, pointing to early childhood as a time when parent characteristics and behaviors may have maximum influence. Parental emotional responsiveness could serve to reduce problem behaviors in young children.
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U2 - 10.13110/merrpalmquar1982.66.3.0227
DO - 10.13110/merrpalmquar1982.66.3.0227
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85099718887
SN - 0272-930X
VL - 66
SP - 227
EP - 244
JO - Merrill-Palmer Quarterly
JF - Merrill-Palmer Quarterly
IS - 3
ER -