A LONGITUDINAL-STUDY OF MOTHERS AND PRESCHOOL CHILDRENS AVERSIVE BEHAVIORS DURING DYADIC INTERACTIONS

The development of self-regulation of preschool children (21-48 months old) was explored by assessing age-related changes in (a) children's aversive behaviors (e.g., noncompliance, physically negative behavior) , (b) mothers' aversive behaviors, and (c) each party's reinforcement of the other's aversive behaviors. Mother-child interactions of 44 dya ds were observed in a variety of experimental situations. The results indicated a decrease in aversive behaviors of children and a parallel decrease in mothers' aversive and reinforcing behaviors. These finding s, as well as concurrent associations between mother and child behavio rs, provide evidence of mother-child reciprocity in the development of self-regulation.