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Positive parenting and children's prosocial behavior in eight countries
Author(s) -
Pastorelli Concetta,
Lansford Jennifer E.,
Luengo Kanacri Bernadette Paula,
Malone Patrick S.,
Di Giunta Laura,
Bacchini Dario,
Bombi Anna Silvia,
Zelli Arnaldo,
Miranda Maria Concetta,
Bornstein Marc H.,
Tapanya Sombat,
Uribe Tirado Liliana Maria,
Alampay Liane Pena,
AlHassan Suha M.,
Chang Lei,
DeaterDeckard Kirby,
Dodge Kenneth A.,
Oburu Paul,
Skinner Ann T.,
Sorbring Emma
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/jcpp.12477
Subject(s) - prosocial behavior , psychology , developmental psychology , reciprocal , intervention (counseling) , parenting styles , positive parenting , linguistics , philosophy , psychiatry
Background Research supports the beneficial role of prosocial behaviors on children's adjustment and successful youth development. Empirical studies point to reciprocal relations between negative parenting and children's maladjustment, but reciprocal relations between positive parenting and children's prosocial behavior are understudied. In this study reciprocal relations between two different dimensions of positive parenting (quality of the mother–child relationship and the use of balanced positive discipline) and children's prosocial behavior were examined in Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States. Methods Mother–child dyads ( N = 1105) provided data over 2 years in two waves ( M age of child in wave 1 = 9.31 years, SD = 0.73; 50% female). Results A model of reciprocal relations between parenting dimensions, but not among parenting and children's prosocial behavior, emerged. In particular, children with higher levels of prosocial behavior at age 9 elicited higher levels of mother–child relationship quality in the following year. Conclusions Findings yielded similar relations across countries, evidencing that being prosocial in late childhood contributes to some degree to the enhancement of a nurturing and involved mother–child relationship in countries that vary widely on sociodemographic profiles and psychological characteristics. Policy and intervention implications of this study are discussed.