Predicting Maternal Discipline Responses to Early Child Aggression: The Role of Cognitions and Affect

Abstract

SYNOPSIS Objective . To test models relating maternal cognitions, anger, and dysfunctional discipline responses to mother-directed toddler aggression. Design . In a cross-sectional design, maternal cognitions (intentionality, negative appraisal, and learning ability) and anger were modeled using path analyses as mediated predictors of overreactive and lax discipline responses to child-to-mother aggression in a community sample of 236 mothers of 4- to 71-month-old children. Results . Maternal anger mediated relations between maternal cognitions of intentionality, negative appraisal, and learning ability and overreactive discipline in response to child aggression. Maternal anger also mediated relations between negative appraisal and lax discipline. Maternal assessments of children's learning ability were directly associated with lax responses to child aggression. Conclusion . These results are consistent with the social information processing model that interpretation and evaluations of child behavior influence emotional arousal, which, in turn, influences the choice of discipline response.