Thesis
Maternal psychological control and relational aggression during early childhood: do maternal warmth and child temperament moderate the association?
Master of Arts (MA), Washington State University
2008
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/103737
Abstract
Relational aggression has been defined as behaviors that inflict harm on others by damaging peer relationships, and it has been linked to a wide range of concurrent and future difficulties for both perpetrators and victims. Little attention has been paid, however, to the antecedents or developmental precursors of children’s relational aggression. Psychological control comprises a pattern of intrusive parenting practices that are associated with children’s negative outcomes, and it has been studied as a predictor of children’s relational aggression. However, findings from previous studies on the relation between psychological control and relational aggression have been mixed. Therefore, it is the primary goal of the current study is to further investigate the role of maternal psychological control as an antecedent of relational aggression during early childhood. It was hypothesized that mothers’ psychologically controlling behaviors will be reliably linked to children’s use of relational aggression. The present study also tested the hypothesis that maternal warmth and child temperament will moderate the association of maternal psychological control and childhood relational aggression. Using a multi-method, multi-informant approach, relational aggression of 58 3- to 6-year-old children and their mothers’ psychological control were assessed. Findings from the present study suggested that child reports of maternal psychological control were significantly correlated with teacher reports of children’s relational aggression at time 2. However, findings from the present study failed to support the moderation effects of maternal warmth and responsiveness and child temperament. Future research directions on this topic are discussed.
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Details
- Title
- Maternal psychological control and relational aggression during early childhood
- Creators
- Yi Hung Lau
- Contributors
- Nicole E. Werner (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Human Development, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Arts (MA), Washington State University
- Identifiers
- 99900525125001842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis