A longitudinal study of mothers' and preschool children's aversive behaviors during dyadic interactions.
The development of self-regulation of preschool children (21-48 months old) was explored by assessing age-related changes in (a) children's aversive behaviors (e.g., noncompliance, physically negative behavior), (b) mothers' aversive behaviors, and (c) each party's reinforcement of the other's aversive behaviors. Mother-child interactions of 44 dyads were observed in a variety of experimental situations. The results indicated a decrease in aversive behaviors of children and a parallel decrease in mothers' aversive and reinforcing behaviors. These findings, as well as concurrent associations between mother and child behaviors, provide evidence of mother-child reciprocity in the development of self-regulation.
Kalpidou
M D
MD
Department of Child Development, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA.
Rothbaum
F
F
Rosen
K S
KS
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001900:Boston; D002657:Child Development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009341:Negativism; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012919:Social Behavior; D012951:Socialization; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric