Abstract
It is well-recognized that the individual characteristics of children moderate the effects of developmental conditions on the well-being of a child. The majority of interactions follow a diathesis–stress pattern; there is also evidence for differential susceptibility and vantage sensitivity models. The present study aimed to examine interactions between parenting and child personality in relation to the well-being of a Russian child and to evaluate the models for moderated relationships. Participants were primary caregivers of 370 children aged 2–7 years. Moderation effects were examined using hierarchical multiple regression and bivariate linear models. In order to differentiate between the models of environmental sensitivity, the analysis of regions of significance was used. Consistent with a diathesis–stress framework, the results revealed that among children low in conscientiousness and high in activity, punitive parenting was a risk factor for externalizing problems; among introverted and fearful children, punitive parenting was a risk factor for internalizing problems. Positive parenting/involvement was a protective factor for internalizing behavior, only for children low in openness. The findings also demonstrate the following evidence for the differential susceptibility model: children low in Beta higher-order personality trait (also known as plasticity or personal growth) showed more total problems when faced with low positive parenting, but fewer problems when experiencing high-quality parenting.
Highlights
Decades of research have proved that the individual characteristics of children and environmental conditions, especially parenting, make important contributions to the well-being of a child (Leve et al, 2005; Davidov and Grusec, 2006; Clerkin et al, 2007; De Pauw and Mervielde, 2010)
Previous studies have focused mainly on genotypes or temperament traits (Belsky and Pluess, 2009; Kiff et al, 2011; Slagt et al, 2016a; Tung et al, 2019), whereas our study explores the role of child personality traits as potential moderators of parenting influence
Prosocial behavior was mostly related to the Alpha superordinate factor, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism
Summary
Decades of research have proved that the individual characteristics of children and environmental conditions, especially parenting, make important contributions to the well-being of a child (Leve et al, 2005; Davidov and Grusec, 2006; Clerkin et al, 2007; De Pauw and Mervielde, 2010). It has been demonstrated that temperament and personality constructs, which have been seen as biologically based variations in emotion and regulation, are related to important developmental outcomes (Caspi and Shiner, 2008; Rothbart, 2011). The Big Five traits, such as extraversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness, subsume more specific, mid-level traits and represent the foundational level of superordinate trait models (Slobodskaya, 2021). The higher-order factors of the Big Five, Alpha comprising agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism (reversed), and Beta comprising extraversion and openness, have been consistently recovered in studies with children, adolescents, and adults (Slobodskaya, 2011; Shiner and DeYoung, 2013). The two higher-order factors embrace three biologically based temperamental dimensions of positive emotionality, negative emotionality, and effortful control (Rothbart, 2011). Known as stability or successful socialization, appears to reflect stable functioning in the emotional, motivational, and social domains, whereas Beta, known as plasticity or personal growth, appears to reflect the tendency to explore behaviorally and cognitively (Digman, 1997; DeYoung, 2006)
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