Exploring reciprocal parent and child effects in the case of child inhibition in US and Korean samples

Recent research suggesting that parental behaviour may promote or discourag e the development of inhibited behaviour stimulated interest in the effect of inhibited behaviour on parenting. Of 125 US 3-year-olds and 100 Korean 3 -year-olds whose inhibited behaviour was evaluated repeatedly at age 3, the videotapes of the 50% most inhibited in each sample were rated with regard to parental responses that: (1) encouraged the child to approach the stimu li in question; (2) accepted and/or encouraged the child's-withdrawal; and (3) discouraged the child's withdrawn behaviour. Analyses revealed that chi ld effects on parenting were more pronounced than parenting effects on chil d behaviour; that mothers were more affected by child inhibition than fathe rs; that, surprisingly, parents who responded to child inhibition by accept ing/encouraging child withdrawal also reacted by discouraging child withdra wal and encouraging approach; and that the greater the child's inhibition, the more parents encouraged approach behaviour, encouraged/accepted withdra wal, and discouraged withdrawal. These results are discussed in terms of ot her evidence highlighting parental influences on child inhibition.