Direct and indirect contributions of child difficult temperament and power assertive parental discipline to Turkish children’s behaviour problems

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the current study was to examine power assertive parental discipline and child difficult temperament as predictors of children’s behaviour problems (internalizing, externalizing, and total behaviour problems) as well as mediating role of difficult temperament between power assertive parental discipline and children’s behaviour problems. Participants were 118 children (53 boys) and their parents for the current study. Children’s age ranged from 16 months to 36 months (M = 27.91, SD = 5.67). Mothers reported on their power assertive parental discipline, child temperament, and behaviour problems of children. Results from regression analysis showed that: (1) there was a positive association between parents’ power assertive discipline and child behaviour problems. (2) Child difficult temperament was positively associated with children’s internalizing, externalizing and total behaviour problems. (3) Children’s difficult temperament mediated the association between power assertive discipline and child behaviour problems. Limitations and future directions of the current study are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Behaviour problems
• externalizing behaviour
• internalizing behaviour
• Turkish children
• power assertive parenting
• difficult temperament

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ibrahim H. Acar

Dr. Ibrahim H. Acar is an assistant professor at Ozyegin University, Department of Psychology. Dr. Acar’s research areas are protective factors (regulatory temperament, executive functioning) and risk factors (difficult temperament, poverty) for children's social and academic development.

Emine Ahmetoğlu

Dr. Emine Ahmetoğlu is a professor at Trakya University, Department of Early Childhood Education. Dr. Ahmetoğlu’s research areas are relationships in early childhood and accessibility of children with special needs to educational settings.

İrem Buselay Özer

İrem Buselay Özer is a graduate student in Applied Developmental Psychology Program at Ozyegin University. Her main research interests are adult-child relationships and attachment in early years.

Şevval Nur Yağlı

Şevval Nur Yağlı is a graduate student in Applied Developmental Psychology Program at Ozyegin University. Her main research interests are aggression and bullying in early and late childhood.