South Korean mothers’ beliefs regarding aggression and social withdrawal in preschoolers

Abstract

South Korean mothers’ reactions to preschoolers’ aggression and social withdrawal were examined within a cultural framework. With recent social, political, and cultural changes in South Korea, there appears to be a conflict between traditional values and the Confucian heritage on one hand, and Western influence on the other. Mothers ( N = 81) of preschoolers from Seoul reported their emotional reactions, causal attributions, socialization strategies, and socialization goals that were endorsed in response to these behaviors. Mothers reacted with negative emotions to both child aggression and social withdrawal, with more anger, disgust and embarrassment for aggression. Mothers also believed that aggression was due to external causes, and less stable than social withdrawal. High-powered and directive strategies were provided more often in response to aggression than social withdrawal, whereas lower-powered/indirect strategies were favored for social withdrawal over aggression. Finally, mothers were more likely to suggest parent- and social-centered goals for aggression, and child-centered goals for social withdrawal, indicating the increasing influence of westernized child developmental information on South Korean mothers. The significance of changing cultural norms and conventions in South Korean mothers’ perceptions and evaluations of maladaptive behaviors in children was supported.