Predictors of positive and negative parenting behaviours: evidence from the ALSPAC cohort

Rachel M Thomson; Clare S Allely; David Purves; Christine Puckering; Alex McConnachie; Paul C D Johnson; Jean Golding; Christopher Gillberg; Philip Wilson

doi:10.1186/1471-2431-14-247

Predictors of positive and negative parenting behaviours: evidence from the ALSPAC cohort

Rachel M Thomson, Clare S Allely, David Purves, Christine Puckering, Alex McConnachie, Paul C D Johnson, Jean Golding, Christopher Gillberg, Philip Wilson

Section of General Practice

20 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study aimed to establish the predictors of positive and negative parenting behaviours in a United Kingdom population. The majority of previous research has focused on specific risk factors and has used a variety of outcome measures. This study used a single assessment of parenting behaviours and started with a wide range of potential pre- and post-natal variables; such an approach might be used to identify families who might benefit from parenting interventions.Methods: Using a case-control subsample of 160 subjects from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), regression analysis was undertaken to model parenting behaviours at 12 months as measured by the Mellow Parenting Observational System.Results: Positive parenting increased with maternal age at delivery, levels of education and with prenatal anxiety. More negative interactions were observed among younger mothers, mothers with male infants, with prenatal non-smokers and among mothers who perceived they had a poor support structure.Conclusions: This study indicates two factors which may be important in identifying families most at risk of negative parenting: younger maternal age at delivery and lack of social support during pregnancy. Such factors could be taken into account when planning provision of services such as parenting interventions. We also established that male children were significantly more likely to be negatively parented, a novel finding which may suggest an area for future research. However the findings have to be accepted cautiously and have to be replicated, as the measures used do not have established psychometric validity and reliability data.

Original language	English
Journal	BMC Pediatrics
Volume	14
Pages (from-to)	247
ISSN	1471-2431
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2431-14-247
Publication status	Published - 3 Oct 2014

Keywords

Adult
Anxiety
Case-Control Studies
Child
Cohort Studies
Educational Status
England
Female
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Maternal Age
Maternal Behavior/psychology
Mother-Child Relations
Parenting
Sex Factors
Social Support

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10.1186/1471-2431-14-247Licence: CC BY

1471-2431-14-247Final published version, 334 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Predictors of positive and negative parenting behaviours: evidence from the ALSPAC cohort",

abstract = "This study aimed to establish the predictors of positive and negative parenting behaviours in a United Kingdom population. The majority of previous research has focused on specific risk factors and has used a variety of outcome measures. This study used a single assessment of parenting behaviours and started with a wide range of potential pre- and post-natal variables; such an approach might be used to identify families who might benefit from parenting interventions.Methods: Using a case-control subsample of 160 subjects from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), regression analysis was undertaken to model parenting behaviours at 12 months as measured by the Mellow Parenting Observational System.Results: Positive parenting increased with maternal age at delivery, levels of education and with prenatal anxiety. More negative interactions were observed among younger mothers, mothers with male infants, with prenatal non-smokers and among mothers who perceived they had a poor support structure.Conclusions: This study indicates two factors which may be important in identifying families most at risk of negative parenting: younger maternal age at delivery and lack of social support during pregnancy. Such factors could be taken into account when planning provision of services such as parenting interventions. We also established that male children were significantly more likely to be negatively parented, a novel finding which may suggest an area for future research. However the findings have to be accepted cautiously and have to be replicated, as the measures used do not have established psychometric validity and reliability data.",

keywords = "Adult, Anxiety, Case-Control Studies, Child, Cohort Studies, Educational Status, England, Female, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Maternal Age, Maternal Behavior/psychology, Mother-Child Relations, Parenting, Sex Factors, Social Support",

author = "Thomson, {Rachel M} and Allely, {Clare S} and David Purves and Christine Puckering and Alex McConnachie and Johnson, {Paul C D} and Jean Golding and Christopher Gillberg and Philip Wilson",

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month = oct,

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doi = "10.1186/1471-2431-14-247",

language = "English",

volume = "14",

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journal = "BMC Pediatrics",

issn = "1471-2431",

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T1 - Predictors of positive and negative parenting behaviours

T2 - evidence from the ALSPAC cohort

AU - Thomson, Rachel M

AU - Allely, Clare S

AU - Purves, David

AU - Puckering, Christine

AU - McConnachie, Alex

AU - Johnson, Paul C D

AU - Golding, Jean

AU - Gillberg, Christopher

AU - Wilson, Philip

PY - 2014/10/3

Y1 - 2014/10/3

N2 - This study aimed to establish the predictors of positive and negative parenting behaviours in a United Kingdom population. The majority of previous research has focused on specific risk factors and has used a variety of outcome measures. This study used a single assessment of parenting behaviours and started with a wide range of potential pre- and post-natal variables; such an approach might be used to identify families who might benefit from parenting interventions.Methods: Using a case-control subsample of 160 subjects from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), regression analysis was undertaken to model parenting behaviours at 12 months as measured by the Mellow Parenting Observational System.Results: Positive parenting increased with maternal age at delivery, levels of education and with prenatal anxiety. More negative interactions were observed among younger mothers, mothers with male infants, with prenatal non-smokers and among mothers who perceived they had a poor support structure.Conclusions: This study indicates two factors which may be important in identifying families most at risk of negative parenting: younger maternal age at delivery and lack of social support during pregnancy. Such factors could be taken into account when planning provision of services such as parenting interventions. We also established that male children were significantly more likely to be negatively parented, a novel finding which may suggest an area for future research. However the findings have to be accepted cautiously and have to be replicated, as the measures used do not have established psychometric validity and reliability data.

AB - This study aimed to establish the predictors of positive and negative parenting behaviours in a United Kingdom population. The majority of previous research has focused on specific risk factors and has used a variety of outcome measures. This study used a single assessment of parenting behaviours and started with a wide range of potential pre- and post-natal variables; such an approach might be used to identify families who might benefit from parenting interventions.Methods: Using a case-control subsample of 160 subjects from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), regression analysis was undertaken to model parenting behaviours at 12 months as measured by the Mellow Parenting Observational System.Results: Positive parenting increased with maternal age at delivery, levels of education and with prenatal anxiety. More negative interactions were observed among younger mothers, mothers with male infants, with prenatal non-smokers and among mothers who perceived they had a poor support structure.Conclusions: This study indicates two factors which may be important in identifying families most at risk of negative parenting: younger maternal age at delivery and lack of social support during pregnancy. Such factors could be taken into account when planning provision of services such as parenting interventions. We also established that male children were significantly more likely to be negatively parented, a novel finding which may suggest an area for future research. However the findings have to be accepted cautiously and have to be replicated, as the measures used do not have established psychometric validity and reliability data.

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KW - Anxiety

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KW - Child

KW - Cohort Studies

KW - Educational Status

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KW - Humans

KW - Longitudinal Studies

KW - Male

KW - Maternal Age

KW - Maternal Behavior/psychology

KW - Mother-Child Relations

KW - Parenting

KW - Sex Factors

KW - Social Support

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DO - 10.1186/1471-2431-14-247

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VL - 14

SP - 247

JO - BMC Pediatrics

JF - BMC Pediatrics

ER -

Predictors of positive and negative parenting behaviours: evidence from the ALSPAC cohort

Abstract

Keywords

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