Predicting mothers' beliefs about preschool-aged children's social behavior: Evidence for maternal attitudes moderating child effects

Maternal beliefs about children's social behavior may be important contribu tors to socialization and development, but little is known about how such b eliefs form. Transactional models suggest that children's characteristics m ay influence parents. At 2 years of age, the shy and aggressive behaviors o f 65 toddlers (28 females) were observed during interactions with an unfami liar peer; as well, mothers described the extent to which they advocated pr otective and authoritarian childrearing attitudes. These variables were use d to predict mothers emotions, attributions, parenting goals, and socializa tion strategies in response to vignettes depicting aggressive and withdrawn child behaviors 2 years later. Most child effects were moderated by matern al attitudes or gender effects. Authoritarian mothers of aggressive toddler s were most likely to report high control and anger, to blame their childre n for aggression, and to focus on obtaining compliance rather than teaching skills to their children. Protective mothers reported that they would use warmth and involvement to comfort withdrawn children, especially their daug hters.