“In hoeverre is er een verband tussen de mate van warmte en ondersteuning en disciplinering door vaders en moeders en de aanwezigheid van internaliserend probleemgedrag bij het kind? Er wordt onderzocht of deze relatie verschillend is voor jongens en meisjes.”

Abstract

Internalizing problems can develop early in childhood. The upbringing of parents may play a role in the development of such problems. Therefore, this study focused on the relationship between two important parental characteristics as a predictor of the development of internalizing problems of their child. These characteristics consisted of the support and discipline provided by the parents. Most studies on early childhood parenting include only mothers. In this study, we included parenting of both mothers and fathers. Also, it is examined if the sex of the child plays a role in the relationship between support and disciplining and the formation of internalizing problems. Participants included 338 families with both a father and a mother and a child aged between 0 and 4 years. The parents filled in questionnaires about their upbringing and presence of internalizing problems of their child. Findings revealed that there was a negative relationship between support from both parents and internalizing problems. A positive relationship was found between negative discipline and internalizing problems. Furthermore, the sex of the child did not moderate the relationship between parental behavior and internalizing problems of the child. Implications are discussed and suggestions for further research are given.