Relations between parental psychological control and childhood relational aggression: reciprocal in nature?
Using a cross-lagged panel design, this study examined the directionality of relations between parental psychological control and child relational aggression. Data were collected from a proportionally stratified sample of 600 Flemish 8- to 10-year-old children at 3 measurement points with 1-year intervals. Reciprocal effects were evident in mother-child dyads. Maternal psychological control was positively related to child relational aggression 1 year later, and child relational aggression was positively related to maternal psychological control 1 year later. The father-child dyads were best represented by unidirectional parent effects. Paternal psychological control was positively related to child relational aggression 1 year later. Surprisingly, these effects emerged only for relational aggression as indexed by mother and father reports and not for relational aggression as indexed by teacher and peer measures.
Kuppens
Sofie
S
Centre for Parenting, Child Welfare & Disabilities, Department of Educational Sciences, K.U., Leuven, Belgium. Sofie.Kuppens@ped.kuleuven.be
Grietens
Hans
H
Onghena
Patrick
P
Michiels
Daisy
D
D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003068:Coercion; D005219:Father-Child Relations; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009769:Object Attachment; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012737:Sex Factors