Parenting Predictors of Delay Inhibition in Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Preschoolers.
This study examined longitudinal associations between specific parenting factors and delay inhibition in socioeconomically disadvantaged preschoolers. At Time 1, parents and 2- to 4-year-old children (mean age = 3.21 years;N= 247) participated in a videotaped parent-child free play session, and children completed delay inhibition tasks (gift delay-wrap, gift delay-bow, and snack delay tasks). Three months later, at Time 2, children completed the same set of tasks. Parental responsiveness was coded from the parent-child free play sessions, and parental directive language was coded from transcripts of a subset of 127 of these sessions. Structural equation modeling was used, and covariates included age, gender, language skills, parental education, and Time 1 delay inhibition. Results indicated that in separate models, Time 1 parental directive language was significantly negatively associated with Time 2 delay inhibition, and Time 1 parental responsiveness was significantly positively associated with Time 2 delay inhibition. When these parenting factors were entered simultaneously, Time 1 parental directive language significantly predicted Time 2 delay inhibition whereas Time 1 parental responsiveness was no longer significant. Findings suggest that parental language that modulates the amount of autonomy allotted the child may be an important predictor of early delay inhibition skills.
Columbia University, Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, 722 West 168th Street, 7th Floor, New York, New York 10032.
Emily C
EC
Merz
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 7000 Fannin Street, Suite 2300, Houston, TX, 77030.
Susan H
SH
Landry
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 7000 Fannin Street, Suite 2300, Houston, TX, 77030.
Tricia A
TA
Zucker
University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station, Austin, TX 78712.
Marcia A
MA
Barnes
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 7000 Fannin Street, Suite 2300, Houston, TX, 77030.
Michael
M
Assel
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 7000 Fannin Street, Suite 2300, Houston, TX, 77030.
Heather B
HB
Taylor
Florida State University, 1107 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4301.
Christopher J
CJ
Lonigan
Florida State University, 1107 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4301.
Beth M
BM
Phillips
Florida State University, 1107 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4301.
Jeanine
J
Clancy-Menchetti
Arizona State University, 950 S. McAllister, Tempe, AZ 85287-1104.
Nancy
N
Eisenberg
Arizona State University, 950 S. McAllister, Tempe, AZ 85287-1104.
Tracy L
TL
Spinrad
Arizona State University, 950 S. McAllister, Tempe, AZ 85287-1104.
Carlos
C
Valiente
Smith College, Bass 218, Northampton, MA 01063.
Jill
J
de Villiers
Columbia University, Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, 722 West 168th Street, 7th Floor, New York, New York 10032.
The School Readiness Research
TS
Consortium
delay inhibition; early childhood; executive function; parenting