Adaptive and Challenged Parenting Among African American Mothers: Parenting Profiles Relate to Head Start Children's Aggression and Hyperactivity

Abstract

Research Findings: This study used a within-group research design and person-centered analytic methods to identify multidimensional profiles of parenting styles, parenting practices, and related emotional factors in a sample of 274 African American mothers recruited from Head Start programs in the northeastern and southeastern United States. Interprofile differences in children's behavioral adjustment over time were also examined by measuring preschool children's aggressive and hyperactive behavior at 2 time points during the academic year. The results indicated 3 adaptive parenting profiles and 2 challenged, or less adaptive, profiles among the sample, with a greater proportion of parents represented by the adaptive profiles. Parenting profile membership was significantly associated with child aggressive behaviors at Time 1 and hyperactive behaviors at Time 2. Practice or Policy: Implications of these results for fostering healthy parent–child relations during the early childhood developmental period are discussed. Future research is needed to refine a typology of parenting that captures adaptive parenting techniques utilized within African American families.

Notes

Note. AA/AS = associate's degree; BA/BS = bachelor's degree.

^{a , b} Values are significantly different from each other, p < .05.

†^,*Marginally significant difference, p = .05.