Additive and multiplicative effects of parental personality and child temperament

Abstract

This longitudinal study examined the additive and multiplicative effects of parental personality and child temperament on parenting behavior and family cohesion over a one-year period. In a community sample of families ( N = 268), both parents described themselves on the Big Five personality traits, their parenting behavior, and perceptions of family cohesion. Mothers also reported their children’s temperamental characteristics. Findings supported the idea that, in some cases, child temperament assumes a moderating role on the association between parental personality and their parenting behaviors (and family cohesiveness). Temperamentally difficult children amplified the links between certain parental personality and parenting behaviors (e.g., low effortful control children evoked overreactive behaviors from disagreeable mothers only). Similar interactive mechanisms appeared to influence family cohesiveness as well (e.g., decreased cohesion was observed for low, but not high, conscientious fathers with low effortful control children).