title: Applying the interpersonal circumplex to children's behavior: parent-child interactions and risk behaviors.
abstract: This article examined the applicability of the interpersonal circumplex (IC) to the observable social behaviors of children during parent-child interactions. In Study 1, the observational ratings of behaviors of 117 children (mean age = 9.88 years) were examined. Randomization tests of hypothesized order relations found that these behaviors tended to occur in the circular pattern predicted by the IC. To illustrate the applicability of the IC to children's behavior, Study 2 (n = 94) used the circular structure of children's behavior to longitudinally examine children's participation in two risk behaviors, smoking cigarettes and consuming alcohol. Results indicated that children who behaved in an arrogant-calculating manner were at risk for smoking cigarettes and children who behaved in an assured-dominate manner were at risk for drinking alcohol 1 year later. Implications of these results are discussed in terms of their relevance for helping researchers better understand and categorize children's interpersonal behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085, USA.
authors.forename: Patrick M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Markey
authors.forename: Charlotte N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Markey
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tinsley
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D015588:Observer Variation; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010551:Personality / Q000502:physiology; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D012919:Social Behavior; D014741:Video Recording / Q000379:methods