title: The trajectory of children's social competence from 18 months to 30 months of age and their mother's attitude towards the praise.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Praise from caregivers has been shown as an important influence on the development of social competence in early adolescence. However, the effects of praise in younger children have not been investigated. We examined how the trajectory of children's social competence from 18 months to 30 months of age was related to their caregiver's attitude towards the importance of praise at times when their child was 4 months and 9 months old.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 155 mother-child dyads, whose interactions during play were observed both when the child was 18 months and 30 months old, which was conducted as part of a Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) project. The child's social competence was assessed using the Interaction Rating Scale (IRS). Demographic data was obtained when the child was 4 months old, and the caregiver's attitude towards the importance of praise when the child was both 4 months and 9 months old. A logistic regression analysis controlling for the effects of demographic variables was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that children who had received continuous praise from their mother when they were 4-9 months of age had a decreased risk of low social competence at 18-30 months of age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A mother's attitude towards the importance of praise at early stages of her child's development has an important influence on the later trajectory of social competence.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryoji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugisawa
authors.forename: Lian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Emiko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Taeko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Onda
authors.forename: Yuri
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawashima
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.forename: Etsuko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tomisaki
authors.forename: Yukiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mochizuki
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: Gan-Yadam
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Amarsanaa
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yato
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamakawa
authors.forename: Tokie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Anme
mesh_terms: D001290:Attitude; D002652:Child Behavior; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012919:Social Behavior