title: Don't touch the gadget because it's hot! Mothers' and children's behavior in the presence of a contrived hazard at home: implications for supervising children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study compared boys' with girls' hazard-directed behaviors at home when the mother was present and absent from the room.
  
  
  METHODS
  Videos were coded for how children reacted to a contrived burn hazard ('Gadget'), maternal verbalizations to children about the hazard, and children's compliance with directives to avoid the hazard. Children's behavioral attributes (risk-taking tendency, inhibitory control) and maternal permissive parenting style were also measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Boys engaged in more hazard-directed behaviors when the mother was present than absent, whereas girls' risk behaviors did not vary with caregiver presence and was comparable with how boys behaved when the parent was absent. Mothers emphasized reactive communications, and boys received significantly more of these than girls. Permissiveness was associated with fewer statements explaining about safety. Children high in inhibitory control showed fewer hazard-directed behaviors and greater compliance with parent communications, whereas those high in risk-taking propensity showed more hazard-directed behaviors and less compliance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The hazard-directed behaviors of boys and girls vary with caregiver context, with boys reacting to parent presence with increased risk taking. Depending on child attributes, different supervision patterns are needed to keep young children safe in the presence of home hazards.
authors: Psychology Department, University of Guelph bmorrong@uoguelph.ca.
authors: Barbara A
authors: BA
authors: Morrongiello
authors: Psychology Department, University of Guelph.
authors: Brae Anne
authors: BA
authors: McArthur
authors: Psychology Department, University of Guelph.
authors: Samantha
authors: S
authors: Goodman
authors: Psychology Department, University of Guelph.
authors: Melissa
authors: M
authors: Bell
mesh_terms: D002056:Burns / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002654:Child Care; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012449:Safety; D012737:Sex Factors; D014705:Verbal Behavior
keywords: children; hazards; home safety; injury prevention; parents; supervision