Parent and child personality characteristics as predictors of negative discipline and externalizing problem behaviour in children

Negative discipline has been linked to childhood externalizing behaviour. However, relatively little attention has been given to the potential effect of individual personality characteristics of children and parents. Using the Five Factor Model, we examined the extent to which parents' and children's personality characteristics were related to parenting and children's externalizing behaviour in a proportional stratified general population sample (N=599) of elementary‐school‐aged children. Based on Patterson's macromodel of parenting, an initial model was built, hypothesizing that the impact of parents' and child's personality dimensions on externalizing problems was fully mediated by negative discipline. Results supported a modified model that added direct pathways between parent and child personality characteristics and externalizing problem behaviour. For the mother data, as well as for the father data, children's Extraversion and Imagination were positively related to children's externalizing problem behaviours. Children's Benevolence and Conscientiousness and parents' Emotional Stability were negatively related to externalizing problem behaviours. For the mother data, maternal Agreeableness was positively related to externalizing problem behaviours too. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The additive and interactive effects of parenting and children's personality on externalizing behaviour

Parenting practices have been previously linked to childhood externalizing behaviour. However, little attention has been given to the potential effect of individual personality differences among children on this relation. The current study assesses the additive effects of children's personality characteristics and explores the moderating effects of children's personality on relations between parenting practices and childhood externalizing behaviour using a proportional stratified sample of 599 nonclinical elementary‐school‐aged children. Multiple regression analyses reveal that in the mother data as well as in the father data, dysfunctional parenting and the children's personality characteristics Benevolence, Conscientiousness, and Extraversion were directly related to outcomes consistent with an additive model of their effects. Significant interactions indicate that children with low scores on Benevolence who were exposed to overreactive discipline practices exhibited higher levels of externalizing behaviour. Children characterized by low scores on Conscientiousness who were exposed to coercive parenting behaviour showed elevated levels of externalizing behaviour. These results suggest that integrating children's personality characteristics within parenting models can improve the understanding of the aetiology of childhood externalizing problem behaviour. The implications of such integrations for intervention are discussed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Parenting, Effortful Control, and Adolescents' Externalizing Problem Behavior: Moderation by Dopaminergic Genes

Research shows that genetics and effortful control play an important role in the link between parenting and problem behavior. However, little is known about how these factors act simultaneously. This article used a moderated mediation model to examine whether effortful control mediated the link between parenting and externalizing problem behavior, and whether dopaminergic genes (i.e., polygenic index score including DAT1, DRD2, DRD4, COMT) moderated this link. Two three-wave studies were conducted on community samples (adolescents: Study 1: N = 457; M_age = 15.74; Study 2: N = 221; M_age = 12.84). There was no mediation by effortful control, but a moderation by dopaminergic reactivity was observed. Despite inconsistent evidence, this article indicates that the development of externalizing problem behavior is subject to genetic characteristics and parenting.

Depressive symptoms in adolescence: The role of perceived parental support, psychological control, and proactive control in interaction with 5-HTTLPR

BACKGROUND

Parenting dimensions are associated with depressive symptoms in adolescents. We investigated the role of perceived parenting dimensions and gene-environment interactions between these perceived parenting dimensions and five well-known variable number of tandem repeats (VNTRs): 5-HTTLPR, STin2, DAT1, DRD4, and MAO-A, in depressive symptoms.

METHODS

From a non-clinical sample of 1111 Belgian adolescents (mean age: 13.79 years, SD=.94; 51% boys), 1103 adolescents consented for genetic research. Five VNTRs were analyzed using DNA from saliva samples. Perceived parenting dimensions (i.e., support, proactive control, psychological control, punishment, and harsh punishment) were examined using self-report scales completed by adolescents and their parents. Depressive symptoms were investigated using the CES-D self-report scale. Statistical analyses were performed in R using linear regression.

RESULTS

Parental support, as perceived by the adolescent, was negatively associated with depressive symptoms (CES-D) and psychological control was positively associated with these symptoms. The only interaction effect withstanding correction for multiple testing was observed for 5-HTTLPR and the difference in proactive control as perceived by adolescents in comparison to parents. Short-allele carriers showed more depressive symptoms when there was a higher discrepancy in proactive control as perceived by adolescents versus parents.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that perceived parenting dimensions are associated with depressive symptoms, as measured by the CES-D. We only found modest evidence for 5-HTTLPR as a moderator in the association between the difference in perception of proactive control (adolescents vs. parents) and depressive symptoms.

Parenthood motives, well-being and disclosure among men from couples ready to start treatment with intrauterine insemination using their own sperm or donor sperm

BACKGROUND

As pregnancy and childbirth have long been considered women's issues and male infertility has long been surrounded by taboo, limited research has focused on the experience of infertile men. The purpose of this study was to compare male motives for parenthood, male well-being and disclosure patterns concerning the method of conception among men from couples starting treatment with IUI using their own sperm (autologous sperm recipient, ASR) or donor sperm (donor sperm recipient, DSR).

METHODS

This prospective study included 46 DSR- and 151 ASR-couples. Self-report questionnaires assessing parenthood motives, well-being and disclosure patterns concerning the method of conception were administered to both men and women prior to treatment. Unpaired T-tests and Fisher's exact tests were used to test for significant differences.

RESULTS

When compared with ASR-men, DSR-men expect more positive effects from parenthood on relationships and feelings of fulfilment, and report less negative effects of infertility on sexuality, but a lower self-image and more guilt. DSR-men plan to disclose the method of conception less frequently and have so far disclosed to a lesser degree than ASR-men.

CONCLUSIONS

DSR-men feel differently about parenthood and infertility compared with ASR-men, and their higher expectations combined with lower self-esteem need (more) attention during counselling.

Parenting and psychosocial development of IVF children: a follow-up study

BACKGROUND

This report details a follow-up study of the parent-child relationship and the child's psychosocial development after IVF. The pilot study compared 31 IVF families and 31 families with a naturally conceived child when the children were aged 2 years. Twenty-seven IVF and 23 control families participated again when the children were aged 8-9 years.

METHODS

Fathers and mothers completed questionnaires assessing parenting variables and the child's behaviour. For most children, behavioural ratings were also obtained from the child's teacher.

RESULTS

No significant differences were found between IVF and control parents' reports of child behaviour, parenting behaviour, parenting stress and most of the parenting goals. The parenting goal adjustment was significantly more important for IVF than for control fathers; religion was more important for IVF than for naturally conceiving mothers. Teacher ratings of the child's behaviour did not differ significantly between the IVF and control groups. All couples but one had talked to other persons about the IVF conception; 75% of the IVF parents had not yet informed their children. IVF parents who had informed their child observed more (internalizing and for fathers also overall) problem behaviours in their child, compared with IVF parents who had not yet disclosed the IVF conception.

CONCLUSIONS

Parenting and the children's psychosocial development do not differ significantly between IVF families and control families.

Parenting stress and psychosocial well-being among parents with twins conceived naturally or by reproductive technology

This study compared parenting stress and psychosocial well-being among parents with 1 year old twins conceived in three different ways: (i) spontaneously without any medical assistance (54 families), (ii) spontaneously following hormonal treatment (25 families) and (iii) following in-vitro fertilization (IVF) or artificial insemination (AI) with the semen of the social father (24 families). The investigation included the Parenting Stress Index (PSI) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30). Since the presence of older children differed significantly between the three groups, this factor was included in the statistical analysis. Overall, no significant differences were found between the three study groups, either for the mothers or for the fathers. Nevertheless, we found a main effect of the presence of older children and an interaction effect of the presence of older children and the conception mode on some of the scales for the mothers: first-time mothers showed significantly higher stress related to parental competence, health and the partner relationship compared with mothers who had older children. First-time mothers with a history of infertility obtained significantly higher stress scores for parental competence and health and showed lower psychosocial well-being compared with naturally conceiving first-time mothers and mothers with a history of infertility who already had children.

[Questions about sexual ethics related to AIDS]

The discovery of Aids has profoundly interfered with the sexual behaviour, perceptions and discourse. It has provoked new questions in the field of sexual ethics, some of which are presented and discussed here: safer sex, partner notification, child wish and the attitude of society towards Aids. Finally a discussion on these questions at large is presented. A responsibilisation of each person concerned, within a context of respect for his/her individual autonomy and a positive attitude towards sex and pleasure, is essential. This responsibilisation may be realised in different ways, aimed at different groups in society: there are campaigns for a large public on the one hand and "targeted prevention" on the other. The role of society is to create socio-economic conditions and to take actions promoting responsible behaviour by all its members.

Feelings and the need for information and counselling of expectant parents of twins

In this study, expectant parents of twins were questioned about their feelings and need for information and counselling on the parenting of twins. Data were obtained from self-rating questionnaires and an interview with the expectant mother. From the results it is argued that expectant parents of twins need specific information and counselling about the medical, emotional and parenting issues of having twins. Guidelines for organising this counselling are proposed.

Parenthood motives in IVF-mothers

This is an exploratory study to answer two questions: (1) does in-vitro fertilization (IVF)-mothers' motivation for parenthood differ from the naturally conceiving mothers' motivation for parenthood? and (2) are IVF-mothers' parenthood motives correlated with their adjustment to parenthood (in the same way as they are for naturally conceiving mothers)? The study sample consisted of 31 mothers with a 24-30 month old, single-born child conceived by homologous IVF and a comparison group of 31 mothers with a naturally conceived child. Self-rating questionnaires were used. Overall, the parenthood motivation pattern was quite similar for IVF-mothers and mothers by natural conception. However, 'identity', 'motherhood' and 'social control' were significantly more important motives for IVF-mothers than for the naturally conceiving mothers. The two former motives remained more important for IVF-mothers when findings were adjusted for the influence of the mothers' age and educational level. Possible explanations for these findings refer to the infertility history. Overall, few correlations between parenthood motives and the adjustment to parenthood were significant, both for the IVF-mothers and for the mothers by natural conception. Further (hypothesis-testing) research is needed to support these findings.

New reproductive technology and the family: the parent-child relationship following in vitro fertilization

Parent-child relationships and the parents' psychosocial functioning were assessed in families with a 24-30-month-old, single born child conceived by homologous in vitro fertilization (IVF) and in a control group of families with a naturally conceived child. The investigation included behavioural observations of mother-child interactions in the home, and self-rated questionnaires. No significant multivariate group effects were found for indicators of the parent-child relationship, nor for the parents' psychosocial functioning. However, in the case of IVF the employment status of the mother was associated with her behaviour towards her child: employed IVF-mothers showed less respect for their child's autonomy compared with both nonemployed IVF-mothers and employed control mothers.