Elledge, Lawrence C.

The relation of child temperament to parent and child behavior was examined in the context of a problem-solving task. The participants included 8 mothers and 1 father and their children (4 males, 5 females) between the ages of 28 and 32 months who were videotaped as they worked with puzzles in a laboratory playroom. Child temperament was assessed using the Toddler Behavioral Assessment Questionnaire (TBAQ), a parental report instrument. The parent behaviors measured were the use of directives, praise and encouragement, and negative corrections. The child behavior measured was compliance to parental directives. Parent and child behaviors were coded from videotapes of observational sessions. Children's scores on two dimensions of the TBAQ were associated with parenting behavior: Children's scores on the pleasure dimension of temperament were positively associated with parental use of directives, and children's scores on the interest dimension of temperament were negatively associated with parental use of negative corrections. These findings suggest that parents' perceptions of their children's temperaments are associated with their parenting behavior toward their children.