Developmental changes in mothers’ perception of knowledge, solicitation, and child disclosure during middle childhood

Abstract

AbstractParents can actively seek knowledge (solicitation) or receive information provided willingly by the child (disclosure). In adolescence, disclosure is the main source of parental knowledge, but its importance may take root earlier in the course of development. We examined: 1) the factor structure of an instrument adapted for middle childhood measuring maternal perception of knowledge, solicitation, and children's self‐disclosure; 2) changes in these dimensions over middle childhood; and 3) the respective contribution of solicitation and disclosure to parental knowledge. The mothers of 793 elementary school students (61.5% boys, 80.2% Canadian‐born) completed a questionnaire annually from Grades 1 to 4. Multilevel confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the instrument's structure at all time points. Growth curve analyses showed that mothers’ perception of knowledge slightly declined from Grades 1 to 4. With respect to mothers’ perceived parental solicitation and child disclosure, gender interactions emerged. Solicitation declined for girls but remained stable for boys, while disclosure declined for girls but increased for boys over time. In addition, mothers' perception ofdisclosure and solicitation are both main sources of maternal knowledge regardless of age and gender in middle childhood.