Maternal Education and Child Self-Regulation: Do Maternal Self-Regulation and Responsiveness Mediate the Association?
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2024
Journal / Book Title
Academic Pediatrics
Abstract
Objective: To examine the mediating role of observed maternal responsiveness and maternal self-regulation on the association between maternal education and children's self-regulation. Methods: English-speaking mother-child dyads (n = 189) were recruited from a previous study and were eligible if the child was kindergarten eligible at the start of the 2020 to 2021 or 2021 to 2022 school year. Key measures included: Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale—Short Form for maternal emotional self-regulation, Culturally Affirming and Responsive Experiences for maternal responsiveness, and the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders for child self-regulation. The association between years of maternal education and child self-regulation was examined with linear regression, and the mediation analyses utilized 4 subsequent steps examining their relations. These steps were checked through a series of linear regressions, and beta weights were used to describe associations. Each potential mediator was examined separately. Results: Children of mothers with higher education had significantly higher self-regulation, slope of 1.3 (95% confidence interval 0.3, 2.4, P = 0.015, beta = 0.18). Further, mothers with higher education had significantly higher observed responsiveness. The beta-weight of 0.34 (P < 0.001) supported maternal responsiveness as a mediator. Finally, in the test for direct and indirect effects, observed maternal responsiveness explained 29% (95% confidence interval 3.3%, 115%) of the association between maternal education and child self-regulation. Conclusions: This study highlights a key mechanism related to children's self-regulation skills and the significant role of observed maternal responsiveness in explaining the association between maternal education and child self-regulation.
DOI
10.1016/j.acap.2024.03.012
Journal ISSN / Book ISBN
85190889374 (Scopus)
Montclair State University Digital Commons Citation
Duyile, Bisola E.; LoCasale-Crouch, Jennifer; NeSmith, Tessa B.; Turnbull, Khara L.P.; Colson, Eve; Corwin, Michael J.; Mateus, Mayaris Cubides; Forbes, Emma; Geller, Nicole; Heeren, Tim; Hauck, Fern R.; Jaworski, Brianna; Kellams, Ann; Kerr, Stephen; and Moon, Rachel Y., "Maternal Education and Child Self-Regulation: Do Maternal Self-Regulation and Responsiveness Mediate the Association?" (2024). Department of Counseling Scholarship and Creative Works. 115.
https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/counseling-facpubs/115