Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
5046209 | Journal of Research in Personality | 2017 | 9 Pages |
â¢Examined multiple influences on developing temperamental approach-withdrawal.â¢Incorporated varying contextual novelty in predictor and outcome measures.â¢Parenting appeared to strengthen relations between infant and toddler temperament.
Research suggests that temperamental approach-withdrawal is subject to parenting influences, but few studies have explored how specific parenting behaviors and contextual novelty contribute to the observed pattern of effects. The present study examined associations between infant temperamental approach, mother behavior while introducing novel objects (12Â months) and temperamental approach-withdrawal in toddlerhood (18Â months) in a sample of 132 infants (68 males). Maternal positive affect predicted more toddler approach-withdrawal for high-approach infants and maternal stimulation predicted less toddler approach-withdrawal for low-approach infants; however, these patterns varied with intensity of novelty in both parenting and toddler outcome contexts. Thus, maternal behavior may lead to stronger associations between earlier and later measures of approach-withdrawal; however, these effects are tied to contexts of measurement.