Relations among temperament, parenting and problem behavior in young children

The first objective of this study was to investigate which aspects of temperament are related to externalizing problem behavior and which aspects are related to internalizing problem behavior. The second objective was to investigate how parenting influences the link between temperament and problem behavior. The sample included 89 two-parent families and their firstborn 36-month-old children, and 81 day care and preschool playgroup teachers. Mothers, fathers and teachers filled in questionnaires and home observations took place. The results showed that different temperament characteristics predict externalizing and internalizing problems. Further, the results indicate that parenting moderates the relation between temperament and problem behavior. More specifically, positive control of the father buffered the relation between impulsivity and externalizing problems, whereas negative control of the mother and father strengthened the relation between fear and internalizing problems.