Negative parental attributions mediate associations between risk factors and dysfunctional parenting: A replication and extension

The primary goal of the current study was to replicate our previous study in which was found that negative maternal attributions mediate the association between parenting stress and harsh and abusive discipline. In addition, we investigated this association in fathers, and added observational parent...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Child abuse & neglect 2018-07, Vol.81, p.249-258
Main Authors: Beckerman, Marieke, van Berkel, Sheila R., Mesman, Judi, Alink, Lenneke R.A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attribution
Child abuse
Child abuse & neglect
Child Behavior
Child Rearing
Childrearing practices
Children
Discipline
Domiciliary visits
Fathers
Harsh discipline
Home Visits
Information processing
Intimate partner violence
Maternal stress
Mothers
Parent-child relations
Parental attributions
Parental stress
Parenting stress
Parents
Parents & parenting
Prevention programs
Questionnaires
Risk factors
Stress
Supportive parenting
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The primary goal of the current study was to replicate our previous study in which was found that negative maternal attributions mediate the association between parenting stress and harsh and abusive discipline. In addition, we investigated this association in fathers, and added observational parenting data. During two home visits mothers and fathers were observed with their children (age 1.5–6.0 years), filled in questionnaires, and completed the Parental Attributions of Child behavior Task (PACT; a computerized attribution task). Similar to our previous study, negative parental attributions mediated the relation between parenting stress and self-reported harsh and abusive parenting for both mothers and fathers. For mothers, this mediation effect was also found in the relation between parenting stress and lower levels of observed supportive parenting in a challenging disciplinary task. In addition, the relation of partner-related stress and abuse risk with harsh, abusive, and (low) supportive parenting were also mediated by maternal negative attributions. When parenting stress, partner-related stress, and abuse risk were studied in one model, only parenting stress remained significant. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of targeting parental attributions for prevention and intervention purposes in families experiencing stress.
ISSN:0145-2134
1873-7757
DOI:10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.05.001