title: The importance of early parenting in at-risk families and children's social-emotional adaptation to school.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the specific aspects of early parenting in psychosocially at-risk families most strongly related to children's social-emotional adaptation to school.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cohort study of families (N = 318) identified as at risk for maltreatment of their newborns was conducted. Quality of early parenting was observed in the home when the child was 1 year old. Social-emotional adaptation to school was reported by teachers in first grade. Multivariable models assessed the independent influence of early parenting variables on social-emotional adaptation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Early parenting and social-emotional adaptation to school varied greatly across families. Parental warmth was associated with lower teacher ratings of shyness, concentration problems, and peer rejection. Parental lack of hostility was associated with decreased teacher ratings of concentration problems and peer rejection. Parental encouragement of developmental advance was associated with lower ratings of aggression and peer rejection. Provision of materials to promote learning and literacy was associated with lower ratings of concentration problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this sample of families with multiple psychosocial risks for child maltreatment, specific aspects of early parenting were associated with better social-emotional adaptation to school in the first grade in theoretically predicted ways. Improving parental knowledge about positive parenting via anticipatory guidance should be a focus of well-child visits. Well-child visit-based interventions to improve the quality of early parenting, especially among at-risk families, should be studied for their impact on parenting behavior and on children's successful social-emotional adaptation to school. Primary care providers should reinforce complementary services, such as home visiting, that seek to promote positive parenting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA. emcfarl2@jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McFarlane
authors.forename: Rachel A B
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dodge
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Burrell
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Crowne
authors.forename: Tina L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Anne K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Duggan
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001288:Attention; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D010379:Peer Group; D012792:Shyness; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012919:Social Behavior; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
references.citation: Child Abuse Negl. 2004 Jun;28(6):597-622
references.pmid: 15193851
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2005 Apr;115(4 Suppl):1121-3
references.pmid: 15828080
references.citation: Child Dev. 2002 May-Jun;73(3):893-915
references.pmid: 12038559
references.citation: Adv Child Dev Behav. 1994;25:241-88
references.pmid: 7847171
references.citation: Child Dev. 1999 Jan-Feb;70(1):169-82
references.pmid: 10191521
references.citation: Pediatrics. 1998 Jun;101(6):E10
references.pmid: 9606252
references.citation: Future Child. 2005 Spring;15(1):139-68
references.pmid: 16130545
references.citation: Arch Intern Med. 2000 Jul 10;160(13):1977-89
references.pmid: 10888972
references.citation: Ambul Pediatr. 2002 Jul-Aug;2(4):238-46
references.pmid: 12135396
references.citation: Prev Sci. 2002 Sep;3(3):173-89
references.pmid: 12387553
references.citation: JAMA. 2003 Dec 17;290(23):3081-91
references.pmid: 14679271
references.citation: Dev Psychol. 2002 Mar;38(2):179-93
references.pmid: 11881755
references.citation: Child Dev. 2006 Jan-Feb;77(1):44-58
references.pmid: 16460524
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2004 Jun;113(6 Suppl):1907-16
references.pmid: 15173461
references.citation: J Nerv Ment Dis. 1980 Jan;168(1):26-33
references.pmid: 7351540
references.citation: Child Abuse Negl. 2004 Jun;28(6):623-43
references.pmid: 15193852
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2008 Apr;121(4):e1008-15
references.pmid: 18381499
references.citation: Pediatrics. 1998 Apr;101(4 Pt 1):723-8
references.pmid: 9521967
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2001 Jan;107(1):130-4
references.pmid: 11134446
references.citation: Dev Psychol. 2002 Sep;38(5):719-34
references.pmid: 12220050
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2004 Dec;114(6):1511-21
references.pmid: 15574609
references.citation: Child Dev. 2007 Jan-Feb;78(1):96-115
references.pmid: 17328695