Parenting and coregulation: Adaptive systems for competence in children experiencing homelessness.

Abstract

The role of effective parenting in promoting child executive functioning and school success was examined among 138 children (age 4 to 6 years) staying in family emergency shelters the summer before kindergarten or first grade. Parent-child coregulation, which refers to relationship processes wherein parents guide and respond to the behavior of their children, was observed during structured interaction tasks and quantified as a dyadic construct using state space grid methodology. Positive coregulation was related to children’s executive functioning and IQ, which in turn were related to teacher-reported outcomes once school began. Separate models considering parenting behavior demonstrated that EF carried indirect effects of parents’ directive control to school outcomes. Meanwhile, responsive parenting behaviors directly predicted children’s peer acceptance at school beyond effects of EF and IQ. Findings support theory and past research in developmental science indicating the importance of effective parenting in shaping positive adaptive skills among children who overcome adversity, in part through processes of coregulation.

Resilience Theory and Research on Children and Families: Past, Present, and Promise

“…In risky or chaotic situations for child rearing, such as poverty or high cumulative adversity, co‐regulation by parents may be particularly important. In a study of families experiencing homelessness, observational coding of effective co‐regulation by parents of young children predicted better school adjustment, apparently mediated by self‐regulation skills in the children that were associated with good parenting (Herbers, Cutuli, Supkoff, Narayan, & Masten, ).…”

History of Childhood Maltreatment and College Academic Outcomes: Indirect Effects of Hot Execution Function

“…Second, the types of self-regulatory behaviors that are subsumed within the construct of EF have been linked empirically to success in school for children (e.g., St Clair-Thompson and Gathercole, 2006; Masten et al, 2012; Willoughby et al, 2016) and have recently been the target of interventions to improve academic performance (Diamond and Lee, 2011; Diamond, 2012). Although there are established links between individual differences in EF and academic achievement and adjustment for children, parallel research with the college population is relatively sparse.…”

Experiences and Perspectives of Music Therapists Providing Services to Families Experiencing Poverty: A Qualitative Investigation

“…Additionally, poor parent-child interaction, including child abuse and neglect, during infant and toddler years can adversly impact social and emotional development (Bolger, Patterson, Thompson, & Kupersmidt, 1995;Samuels, Shinn, & Buckner, 2010;Sroufe, 2005). Chronic negative parenting and frequent exposure to traumatic events can lead to behavior issues (i.e., difficulties with impulse control, self-regulation, and sustatined attention) that can negatively impact children's success in school (Herbers, Cutuli, Monn, Narayan, & Masten, 2014;Herbers, Cutuli, Supkoff et al, 2014;Masten, 2012;Narayan, Herbers, Plowman, Gewirtz, & Masten, 2012;Obradovic et al, 2009;Smith, Stagman, Blank, Ong, & McDow, 2011).…”

“…It is important to support parents experiencing poverty by teaching positive parenting practices and by offering direct engagement opportunities that promote parentchild bonding (Smith et al, 2011). Parent education groups that teach parents positive control and active listening improve outcomes among their children (Herbers, Cutuli, Supkoff et al, 2014;Yang, 2016). Additionally, there is a growing body of research that has identified mindfulness interventions to improve self-awareness among children and adults with greater self-awareness correlating with improved ability to adapt in adverse situations (Masten, 2015).…”

“…Music therapy group sessions can improve parent-child attachment while providing an opportunity to practice positive parenting skills with support from peers and the music therapist (Abad & Williams, 2007;Herbers, Cutuli, Supkoff et al, 2014;Jacobsen, McKinny, & Holck, 2014;Smith et al, 2011;Yang, 2016). According to the study participants, music therapy group sessions may also be used to help facilitate the reunification process among families who have been separated due to child protection cases.…”