Secrecy and Parent-Child Communication During Middle Childhood: Associations with Parental Knowledge and Child Adjustment

Abstract

Objective. This study examines the reciprocal associations among child secrecy, parent-child communication, parental knowledge of children's activities, and child social adjustment in elementary school children. Design. Third and fourth graders (N = 203) completed questionnaires about secrecy, parent-child communication, and parental knowledge; classroom teachers completed measures of child adjustment. The procedure was repeated one year later. Results. Children's secrecy was negatively associated with parental knowledge one year later, and lower parent-child communication predicted increased secrecy over time. Children who reported greater parental knowledge were viewed by teachers as more socially competent one year later; conversely, children who reported more secrecy were later rated as less socially competent and more oppositional and aggressive. Finally, children who were initially rated as less socially competent and more relationally aggressive reported more communication one year later. Conclusions. Children's secrecy has implications for their adjustment during the middle childhood years. Contrary to evidence from studies of parental knowledge during adolescence, in middle childhood poor adjustment may result in increased parent-child communication.