Relations between self-regulation and behavioral adjustment in Chinese American immigrant children during early elementary school years.

Abstract

The present study examined associations between sociocultural factors and self-regulation (parent-report, teacher-report, laboratory tasks), and prospective relations between self-regulation and behavioral adjustment (parent-, teacher-, child-report) in a socioeconomically diverse sample of Chinese American children in immigrant families (N = 258, Wave 1 age = 6-9 years, Wave 2 age = 9-11 years, 52% boys, 57% low-income) in a longitudinal study (2007-2011) during early elementary school years. Family income uniquely related to a self-regulation latent factor ( = .22), and parent-child Chinese orientation gaps were associated with parent-reported effortful control ( = .40). Self-regulation at W1 negatively predicted parent- and teacher-reported behavioral maladjustment ( = -.22 and -.48) at W2, controlling for cross-time stability of both constructs and covariates (child sex, parental education).