The relationship of conscience development and parental discipline to externalizing behavior problems across early childhood.

Abstract

The relationships between conscience development and externalizing behavior problems were examined across early childhood. Capacities for internalized behavioral control, guilt, and empathy were expected dimensions of early conscience at preschool-age, and were predicted to function in increased concert by school-age. Parenting/discipline influences previously studied separately in relation to conscience and behavior problems were examined in one model. Participants were 116 girls and 122 boys recruited to represent the range of externalizing problems on the CBCL/2-3. At age 3, children's compliance with maternal requests during clean-up was coded, and mothers and fathers rated their inductive/non physical discipline, parenting warmth, and control. At ages 3 and 5½, cheating was assessed using laboratory tasks, parents and teachers rated externalizing problems, and parents rated Moral Regulation, Guilt, and Empathy using Kochanska's et al. (1994) scale. Behavioral control measures (Moral Regulation, cheating, and compliance) cohered at both ages. Reports and observations of behavioral control were related to multiple informants' ratings of externalizing problems at each assessment age. Low Moral Regulation at age 3 predicted externalizing at age 5½ (controlling for prior problems) in within- and between-informant models. Empathy had some unique links to fewer externalizing problems at age 5½. Guilt was not independently related to internalized control or externalizing problems. Early parental warmth, control, and use of inductive over physical discipline were related to boys' behavioral control and fewer externalizing problems. Mediation of links between parenting and boys' externalizing by behavioral control was supported only at age 3. Parenting/discipline may indirectly influence boys' externalizing problems through effects on conscience in the early preschool period. However, models did not account for the early influence of parents on school-age behavior problems, nor did they shed light on social or developmental processes influencing girls' adjustment. Decreased behavioral control, rather than deficient guilt or empathy, may best explain failures of conscience associated with early externalizing problems. Early immaturity in internalized behavioral control may portend later problems, over and above the stability of early problems, particularly among boys.