Self-Control Ratings and Mother-Child Interaction

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between impulsivity and mother-child play interaction styles. Thirty-nine children were divided into two groups on the basis of their teachers' ratings of their self-control; they were then observed playing with their mothers under three conditions: free play, building a tower while blindfolded, and making an art project. Results show that mothers in all groups, but especially mothers of impulsive children, were particularly directive during the most structured task, tower building. In some ways, younger impulsive and older reflective children had similar interactions; different explanations are offered for the behavior of the two groups. The results are consistent with previous research on mother-child interactions with hyperactive children and add to their generalizability.