Publication Date

5-2024

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Diane Lickenbrock, Amy Brausch, Jenni Teeters

Degree Program

Department of Psychology

Degree Type

Master of Science

Abstract

Early socioemotional development is significantly influenced by social interactions, particularly with the parents (Rosenblum et al., 2009). Such interactions are multiply determined by various factors including parent characteristics, child attributes, and the social environment (Belsky, 1984; Taraban & Shaw, 2018). Despite the consistent finding that parents often disagree on levels of parental involvement (Chales et al., 2018; Coley & Morris, 2002), how these disagreements impact family interactions is largely underexplored. Previous research has shown that poor parental relationships and increased parental depressive symptoms are associated with increased negative reactivity (Frankel et al., 2015; Spry et al., 2020). Therefore, the current study aimed to explore associations between discrepancies in reports of parental involvement, parental depressive symptoms, and infant negative reactivity. Families (n = 103) participated in a larger longitudinal study during which they completed questionnaires and laboratory tasks. Parental involvement (Cronenwett et al., 1988) and depressive symptoms (Watson et al., 2007) were independently rated at 4-months, and infants completed a frustration task at 8-months (Goldsmith & Rothbart, 1996; Stifter & Spinrad, 2002). Results revealed associations between parental depressive symptoms and differential predictors of infant negative reactivity. Specifically, increased depressive symptoms in mothers were associated with increased discrepancies in reports of mother indirect care and father play. For fathers, increased depressive symptoms were associated with increased discrepancies in father indirect care. Additionally, increased father indirect care and play discrepancies predicted increased infant negative reactivity. Differential findings across types of involvement and parent suggest that certain discrepancies in reports of involvement may be more impactful for depressive symptoms and infant negative reactivity. Overall, findings suggest that discrepancies in parental reports of involvement may spillover into parenting interactions and subsequent infant outcomes

Disciplines

Child Psychology | Clinical Psychology | Developmental Psychology | Psychology

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