Parental negative control moderates the shyness-emotion regulation pathway to school-age internalizing symptoms.
Models of developmental psychopathology emphasize both mediation and moderation processes among child and caregiving attributes; however, little research has examined both these processes simultaneously on the development of internalizing problems. This study tested a moderated mediation model that related early childhood shyness, emotion regulation and maternal negative control to school-age internalizing problems among 257 boys from low-income families. Shyness and maternal negative control was assessed at ages 1.5-2, emotion regulation was observed at age 3.5, and internalizing symptoms were assessed by mothers and teachers at age 6 or 7. Results indicated that 1) the active distraction regulation strategy mediated the relations between early shyness and maternal report of internalizing symptoms; 2) the passive/dependent regulation strategy mediated the relations between shyness and teacher report of internalizing symptoms; and 3) both mediation processes were moderated by maternal negative control. The results are discussed in relation to implications for early prevention and intervention.
Department of Human Development and Family Science, College of Education and Human Ecology, The Ohio State University, 171B Campbell Hall, 1787 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210-1220, USA. xfeng@ehe.osu.edu
Xin
X
Feng
Daniel S
DS
Shaw
Kristin L
KL
Moilanen
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004644:Emotions; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D010553:Personality Development; D012737:Sex Factors; D012792:Shyness; D013694:Temperament