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The present study examined specialized associations between parental control and child aggression in a sample of 600 8- to 10-years old children. Parental control dimensions and aggression subtypes were assessed using multiple informants (i.e. children, mothers, fathers, peers, and teachers). In line with expectations, parental physical punishment was positively associated with overt aggression, whereas parental psychological control was positively associated with relational aggression in both girls and boys. In addition, this study demonstrated that if both parents employed similar parenting strategies, it appeared to have a cumulative effect on child aggressive behaviour. Associations involving overt aggression were more pronounced for boys than girls, whereas associations involving relational aggression were not moderated by gender. Overall, the present study contributes to an emerging research field by supporting the hypothesis of specialized associations between parental control and child aggression.

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Using a cross-lagged panel design, this study examined the directionality of relations between parental psychological control and child relational aggression. Data were collected from a proportionally stratified sample of 600 Flemish 8- to 10-year-old children at 3 measurement points with 1-year intervals. Reciprocal effects were evident in mother-child dyads. Maternal psychological control was positively related to child relational aggression 1 year later, and child relational aggression was positively related to maternal psychological control 1 year later. The father-child dyads were best represented by unidirectional parent effects. Paternal psychological control was positively related to child relational aggression 1 year later. Surprisingly, these effects emerged only for relational aggression as indexed by mother and father reports and not for relational aggression as indexed by teacher and peer measures.

Questionnaire ratings were used to obtain child, mother, and father ratings on three major parenting dimensions (behavioral control, psychological control, and support) in a sample of 600 children aged 8-to-10 years old. Results indicated that mothers, fathers, and children were able to reliably differentiate between the three parenting dimensions by means of questionnaire ratings. Convergent and discriminant validity were tested by analyzing a multitrait-multimethod matrix via confirmatory factor analysis. Convergence between mothers and fathers was satisfactory, while convergence between child and parents was significant, but fairly low. Discriminant validity was sufficiently supported, whereas informant-specific error was related to both child and father ratings. Criterion validity of the parenting dimension with regard to child behavior was established. Overall, behavioral control and support were positively associated with child prosocial behavior, while psychological control was positively correlated with child conduct problems, and to a lesser extent with child internalizing problems. The nature and implications of these findings are discussed.