Abstract
Background
Harsh parenting practices and negative parental feelings may be environmental risk factors for low self-control in children. Children may also evoke certain parenting reactions.
Aims
To investigate the longitudinal relationship between parenting and self-control, as well as associated outcomes within the monozygotic (MZ) twin differences framework.
Method
Longitudinal MZ twin differences analysis was conducted on a community sample of 5184 twins using data from ages 3, 4, 7 and 9 years. Outcomes related to self-control and parenting were analysed at age 12 years.
Results
Non-shared environmental effects of parenting on the development of self-control and an evocative effect of child self-control on parenting were found. Harsh parenting predicted conduct problems for both boys and girls. Self-control at age 9 predicted conduct problems and emotional difficulties at age 12.
Conclusions
Parenting and child self-control affect one another, highlighting the potential of early interventions that target parents and children simultaneously.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 291-297 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | British Journal of Psychiatry |
| Volume | 201 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 2012 |
Keywords
- FIT
- RISK
- ADJUSTMENT
- MALADJUSTMENT
- ANTISOCIAL-BEHAVIOR
- MODEL
- TRANSITION
- HEALTH
- PREVENTION
- YOUTH