Maternal empathy, self-confidence, and stress as antecedents of preschool children's behavior problems.
OBJECTIVE
To test psychosocial antecedents (maternal stress, self-confidence, and empathy) of preschoolers' behavior problems.


METHODS
One hundred and twenty-two postpartum mothers completed a 24-month longitudinal mail survey. A structural equation model that included empathy was tested.


RESULTS
Stress, but not maternal self-confidence or empathy, was directly related to child behavior problems (t=1.98, p=.05). Maternal empathy in combination with self-confidence or stress, however, moderated adverse effects on behavior problems (p=.03). Predictors explained 16% of variance of behavior problems.


CONCLUSIONS
Empathy was protective when stress was high. Empathy training may enhance high-risk parent education.
Walker
Lorraine O
LO
School of Nursing, The University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA. lwalker@mail.nur.utexas.edu
Cheng
Ching-Yu
CY
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D015146:Midwestern United States; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012307:Risk Factors; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires