Considering the role of early discrimination experiences and the parent–child relationship in the development of disruptive behaviors in adolescence

Abstract

Discrimination has been shown to be related to diminished psychological adjustment and greater risk for substance use when personally experienced by adolescents and when their caregivers experience discrimination. Our research considers the impact of primary caregiver experiences of racial‐ and socioeconomic‐based discrimination in early (age 3–5 years) and late childhood (age 9½) on adolescent disruptive behaviors (age 14) with a large sample of diverse caregiver–child dyads (N = 634). In addition, we examine the potential protective effects of parent–child relationship quality in early and late childhood in buffering the effects of caregiver discrimination on adolescent disruptive behaviors. We also explore possible gender differences in children's vulnerability to engage in disruptive behaviors in the context of caregiver experiences of discrimination. The findings from this study indicate that at trend level, early childhood experiences of primary caregiver discrimination (ages 3–5) predicted adolescent disruptive behaviors, accounting for the effects of more recent (age 9½) caregiver discrimination. In addition, parent–child relationship quality at age 9½ years was found to buffer the effects of late childhood (age 9½) primary caregiver discrimination on adolescent disruptive behaviors for both male and female youth. The findings highlight the need for prevention and intervention techniques that foster healthy and positive primary caregiver–child relationships.

The Role of Mental Health of Mothers of Children With Learning Disabilities in the Relationship Between Parental Stress, Mother-child Interaction, and Children’s Behavioral Disorders

“…This finding was consistent with those of Satoorian, Tahmassian and Ahmadi (2016) on the role of parenting dimensions and child-parent relationship in children's internalized and externalized behavioral problems. These findings were also in line with those of Savell et al (2019) on the role of early discrimination experiences and the parent-child relationship in the development of disruptive behaviors in adolescence. In other words, mothers play a crucial role in the behavioral disorders of children.…”

“…This is because poor interactions can cause emotional and behavioral disorders in children (Khodabakhshi-koolaee & Aghaei Malekabadi 2020). The literature supported the relationship between mother-child interactions and children's behavioral disorders (Savell et al 2019;Oh et al 2019;Satoorian, Tahmassian & Ahmadi 2016).…”

The early biopsychosocial development of boys and the origins of violence in males

“…Among the reasons are the lower income typical of fragile families, which means that medical and psychological services, for example, are less affordable. In addition, parents who are stressed by conflict, lack of economic resources, or the experience of racial or economic discrimination might not be able to provide the needed sensitivity and responsiveness to their children (Savell, Womack, Wilson, Shaw, & Dishion, this issue). For example, fragile families are more likely to have just one adult with less time to devote to the well‐being of a child.…”

The Relationship Between Mother-Child Interaction and Spiritual Well-being and Child Behavioral Disorders Through the Moderating Role of Mental Health in Mothers of Children With Hearing Impairment

“…Many studies on mother-child interaction confirm its association with children's behavioral disorders [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. Also, many investigations, mothers' religious beliefs fall into the category of factors affecting child behavioral issues.…”