The specificity of maternal parenting behavior and child adjustment difficulties: a study of inner-city African American families.
The specificity of the association between 2 parenting behaviors (warmth and supervision) and 2 indicators, aggressive behavior and depressive symptoms, of major child outcomes (externalizing problems and internalizing problems) was examined among 196 inner-city African American mothers and their school age children. Given the growing number of African American families affected by HIV/AIDS and demonstrated compromises in parenting associated with maternal infection, the moderating role of maternal HIV/AIDS was also examined. Findings from longitudinal analyses supported the specificity of maternal warmth but not of maternal supervision. Maternal warmth was a stronger predictor of decreases in child aggressive behavior than of decreases in depressive symptoms. In addition, maternal warmth was a stronger predictor of decreases in aggressive behavior than was maternal supervision. Parenting specificity was not moderated by maternal HIV/AIDS. Clinical implications and future research directions are discussed.
Jones
Deborah J
DJ
Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3270, USA. djjones@email.unc.edu
Forehand
Rex
R
Rakow
Aaron
A
Colletti
Christina J M
CJ
McKee
Laura
L
Zalot
Alecia
A
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000523:psychology; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D004645:Empathy; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D002666:Psychology, Child / Q000379:methods; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*