The stability of parenting behaviors over the first 6 years of life

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the relative and absolute stability of parenting behaviors over the first 6 years of children's lives. In 1991, a diverse sample of 1364 participants was enrolled in the Study of Early Child Care at 10 sites across the United States. Parenting behaviors were rated annually over a 6-year period using lab observations and home visits. Eight hundred and ninety-three participants had complete data from each time point to test the hypotheses of interest. The data show that both sensitive and stimulating parenting behaviors display considerable relative and mean level stability over the first 6 years of life, whereas negative aspects of parenting, like detachment and negative regard, do not. Implications for research and interventions are discussed.