The Trajectory Patterns of Parenting and the Social Competence of Toddlers: A Longitudinal Perspective

Yuka Sugisawa,Yoko Onda,Ryoji Shinohara,Taeko Watanabe,Emiko Tanaka,Lian Tong,Tokie Anme,Kentaro Morita,Amarsanaa Gan-Yadam,Etsuko Tomisaki,Maki Hirano,Yuri Kawashima,Noriko Yamakawa,Yuko Yato,Japan Children'S Study Group ,Yukiko Mochizuki

doi:10.2188/jea.je20090172

Abstract

BackgroundMany studies have suggested that the daily emotional interactions between a child and his/her caregiver play a significant role in his/her development. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the trajectory patterns of parenting patterns of caregivers raising toddlers affect the social competence of the toddlers.MethodsThe study participants were 246 dyads of 18-month-old children (baseline) and their caregivers, which was conducted as part of a Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) project. We used the Interaction Rating Scale (IRS) to evaluate the children’s social competence. We assessed the child rearing environments by analyzing the caregivers’ responses to the Index of Child Care Environment (ICCE).ResultsMultiple logistic regression analysis showed that the children’s total score on the IRS was significantly related to how frequently they sang songs together with their caregivers. Their score was also significantly related to how closely their caregiver worked with his/her partner in raising the child. These relationships did not change according to demographic information.ConclusionsThe results confirm previous findings on the relationship between parenting patterns and children’s social competence. In particular, the study shows that varied and continual parenting significantly affects a child’s social competence.

Highlights

Because this study is part of a Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) project, the participants were selected from among those who had participated in the project; we excluded those for whom we could not obtain complete demographic information or data for the past 30 months
This study found that a strong relationship exists between the environment in which a child is raised and his/her social competence
We found that children who often sang songs with their caregivers when they were 18 months old and 30 months old had developed a higher level of social competence at the latter age than those who did not often sing with their caregivers

Summary

Introduction

Children’s level of social competence is an outcome of complex interactions. a number of studies have attempted to determine the importance of children’s rearing environment to the development of their social competence.There exists in-depth research on the relationship between parenting patterns and children’s social competence. In recent years, the focus of the research has shifted from parenting patterns such as discipline to family-peer connections, including the relationship between a child’s social competence and the social-emotional environment at home or the manner in which the caregiver expresses his/her feelings to the child while playing. These researches suggest that the daily emotional interactions between a child and his/ her caregiver play a significant role in his/her development.Most of the above research has focused on children between kindergarten-age and adolescence because the range of social competence increases as children begin to interact in peer relationships and their level of social competence assumes increasing importance in their daily interactions. The focus of the research has shifted from parenting patterns such as discipline to family-peer connections, including the relationship between a child’s social competence and the social-emotional environment at home or the manner in which the caregiver expresses his/her feelings to the child while playing.. The focus of the research has shifted from parenting patterns such as discipline to family-peer connections, including the relationship between a child’s social competence and the social-emotional environment at home or the manner in which the caregiver expresses his/her feelings to the child while playing.3 These researches suggest that the daily emotional interactions between a child and his/ her caregiver play a significant role in his/her development. The study shows that varied and continual parenting significantly affects a child’s social competence

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion