A longitudinal study of mothers' overreactive discipline and toddlers' externalizing behavior

The association between children's externalizing behavior problems and moth ers' overreactive discipline was examined in a longitudinally assessed samp le of toddlers and their mothers. Path analyses indicated that mothers' ove rreactive discipline and children's externalizing behaviors were significan tly and similarly stable over a 21/2-year period. No evidence of a cross-ti me influence of either variable on the other was observed. Mothers' overrea ctive discipline at Time 2 had a significant effect on Time 2 externalizing behavior. No significant effects of children's behavior on mothers' discip line were found. Mothers' depressive symptomatology and marital discord pre dicted initial overreactivity and were related to externalizing problems th rough their relations to overreactivity. The results support the appropriat eness of implementing parenting interventions for externalizing problems be fore age 2 years.