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Untangling the Links of Parental Responsiveness to Distress and Warmth to Child Outcomes
Author(s) -
Davidov Maayan,
Grusec Joan E.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2006.00855.x
Subject(s) - psychology , prosocial behavior , distress , affect (linguistics) , empathy , developmental psychology , personal distress , maternal deprivation , clinical psychology , social psychology , communication
This study demonstrated separate linkages between 2 features of positive parenting—responsiveness to distress and warmth—and different aspects of children's socio‐emotional functioning, in a sample of 106 children (6–8 years old). As expected, mothers' and fathers' responsiveness to distress, but not warmth, predicted better negative affect regulation. Maternal responsiveness to distress also predicted children's empathy and prosocial responding. Maternal warmth, but not responsiveness to distress, was linked to better regulation of positive affect and (in boys only) to greater peer acceptance. Additionally, negative affect regulation mediated between maternal responsiveness to distress and children's empathic responding. Positive affect regulation mediated between maternal warmth and boys' peer acceptance. The findings support a differentiated approach to positive parenting.