title: Inhibitory control and harsh discipline as predictors of externalizing problems in young children: a comparative study of U.S., Chinese, and Japanese preschoolers.
abstract: We examined associations between child inhibitory control, harsh parental discipline and externalizing problems in 120 4 year-old boys and girls in the US, China, and Japan. Individual differences in children's inhibitory control abilities, assessed using behavioral tasks and maternal ratings, were related to child externalizing problems reported by mothers. As predicted, both child inhibitory control and maternal harsh discipline made significant contributions to child externalizing problems in all three countries. Across countries, child inhibitory control and maternal harsh discipline made significant independent contributions to early externalizing problems, suggesting an additive model of association. Our findings supported the cross-cultural generalizability of child inhibitory control and parental harsh punishment as key contributors to disruptive behavior in young children.
authors.affiliation: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. slolson@umich.edu
authors.forename: Sheryl L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.forename: Twila Z
authors.initials: TZ
authors.lastname: Tardif
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Felt
authors.forename: Adam S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Grabell
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Mayumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karasawa
authors.forename: Hidemi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirabayashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D056348:Emotional Intelligence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D011678:Punishment / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States