A multi-method investigation of parental beliefs and their association with observed behavior.

Abstract

Parents' beliefs about children and their development may be expected to influence, in more and less direct ways, the context of child socialization. However, effects of these cognitive mediators on parental behavior may vary in conjunction with other factors, such as experience, and situational demands. This study investigated the relations of parental beliefs, and experiential and situational variables, with observed parental behavior. Participants were 34 spouse-pairs and their preschool-aged children. Parents' beliefs, along proposed dimensions of "child-agency," "parent-agency," and "timing of expectations," were assessed through multiple interview and questionnaire measures. Subsequently, mothers and fathers separately played with their child in free-play and structured-task situations, with parents' behavior coded for affect and control/directiveness. The proposed global dimensions of "child-" and "parent-agency," were not supported empirically; instead, results suggested that parental beliefs are more measure-specific. Fathers and mothers showed few group differences on beliefs or behavioral measures, and husbands' and wives' scores were largely independent of each other. However, there were gender differences in how beliefs and beliefs-behavior relationships were organized. In addition, there were significant situation-type effects on both mothers' and fathers' behavior. Significant predictors, including both parental beliefs and demographic variables, were identified for some measures of parental control, but not for parental affect. The results are discussed in terms of a model of multiple influences on parental behavior.