Associations between perceived maternal acceptance–rejection and social and emotional competence of preschool children

ABSTRACT

This study analysed the associations between preschoolers’ perceived maternal acceptance–rejection and their social and emotional competence. Participants were 90 Portuguese children (55.6% boys) aged 54–82 months and their parents. Children completed the Early Childhood Parental Acceptance–Rejection Questionnaire (Mothers’ Short Form) and parents reported the children’s social and emotional skills using the Social Skills Rating System and the Emotion Regulation Checklist. Significant correlations between perceived maternal acceptance–rejection and children’s age and mothers’ education were found. Older children reported higher maternal rejection and children with lower educated mothers perceived less maternal warmth/affection. Moreover, hierarchical regression analysis showed that after controlling for children’s age and mothers’ education, maternal rejection contributes independently to children’s social skills, with children who perceive more maternal rejection showing fewer social skills. The findings suggest that families should be supported with more knowledge about the importance of expressing daily warmth to children in early childhood.

KEYWORDS:

• Maternal acceptance–rejection
• social and emotional skills
• preschool

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Carla Peixoto

Carla Peixoto, PhD. in Psychology, is currently an assistant professor and coordinator of the Bachelor of Psychology at the University of Maia – ISMAI, and a researcher in inED – Center for Research and Innovation in Education (School of Education of the Polytechnic of Porto), Portugal. Her research interests include quality of early education and care, emergent literacy, social and emotional learning, and preschool teachers’ professional development. Her most recent work concerns pre-service teacher preparation regarding social and emotional learning.

Vera Coelho

Vera Coelho, PhD. in Psychology, is currently an assistant professor and coordinator of the Master in School and Educational Psychology, and a researcher at the University of Maia – ISMAI and at the Center of Psychology of Porto University, Portugal. Involved in several national and international research projects, her main research interests include early childhood intervention, quality of teacher–child interactions, child participation and socio-emotional learning and development in early years.

Francisco Machado

Francisco Machado, PhD. in Psychology, is currently an assistant professor and a researcher at the University of Maia - ISMAI. Involved in several national and international research projects, his main research interests include interpersonal acceptance–rejection, career guidance, technology and education, and learning and teaching methods.

Susana Fonseca

Susana Fonseca, Master in School and Educational Psychology, is currently involved in international research projects. Main research interests include interpersonal acceptance–rejection, career guidance, and socio-emotional learning.