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Mothers' expressive style and emotional responses to children's behavior predict children's prosocial and achievement-related self-ratings

Publication ,  Journal Article
Dunsmore, JC; Bradburn, IS; Costanzo, PR; Fredrickson, BL
Published in: International Journal of Behavioral Development
January 1, 2009

In this study we investigated whether mothers' typical expressive style and specific emotional responses to children's behaviors are linked to children's prosocial and competence self-ratings. Eight-to 12-year-old children and their mothers rated how mothers had felt when children behaved pro-socially and antisocially, achieved and failed to achieve. Children rated self-descriptiveness of prosocial and achievement-related traits. Mothers' positive expressiveness was associated with children's higher achievement-related self-ratings. Mothers' positive- and negative-dominant expressiveness was associated with children's lower prosocial self-ratings. Mothers' happiness about both children's prosocial and achievement-related behavior was associated with children's higher self-ratings for both domains. Mothers' anger about children's antisocial behavior was related to children's lower self-ratings for both domains. When mothers were higher in negative-submissive expressiveness, and responded with more sadness to children's failure to achieve, children reported lower achievement self-ratings. Results support the importance of multidimensional assessment of self-concept and suggest that parents' typical expressive style moderates the influence of parents' specific emotional responses on children's self-ratings. © 2009 The International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development.

Duke Scholars

Published In

International Journal of Behavioral Development

DOI

EISSN

1464-0651

ISSN

0165-0254

Publication Date

January 1, 2009

Volume

33

Issue

3

Start / End Page

253 / 264

Related Subject Headings

  • Developmental & Child Psychology
  • 5205 Social and personality psychology
  • 5203 Clinical and health psychology
  • 5201 Applied and developmental psychology
  • 1702 Cognitive Sciences
  • 1701 Psychology
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Dunsmore, J. C., Bradburn, I. S., Costanzo, P. R., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2009). Mothers' expressive style and emotional responses to children's behavior predict children's prosocial and achievement-related self-ratings. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 33(3), 253–264. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025408098025
Dunsmore, J. C., I. S. Bradburn, P. R. Costanzo, and B. L. Fredrickson. “Mothers' expressive style and emotional responses to children's behavior predict children's prosocial and achievement-related self-ratings.” International Journal of Behavioral Development 33, no. 3 (January 1, 2009): 253–64. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025408098025.
Dunsmore JC, Bradburn IS, Costanzo PR, Fredrickson BL. Mothers' expressive style and emotional responses to children's behavior predict children's prosocial and achievement-related self-ratings. International Journal of Behavioral Development. 2009 Jan 1;33(3):253–64.
Dunsmore, J. C., et al. “Mothers' expressive style and emotional responses to children's behavior predict children's prosocial and achievement-related self-ratings.” International Journal of Behavioral Development, vol. 33, no. 3, Jan. 2009, pp. 253–64. Scopus, doi:10.1177/0165025408098025.
Dunsmore JC, Bradburn IS, Costanzo PR, Fredrickson BL. Mothers' expressive style and emotional responses to children's behavior predict children's prosocial and achievement-related self-ratings. International Journal of Behavioral Development. 2009 Jan 1;33(3):253–264.
Journal cover image

Published In

International Journal of Behavioral Development

DOI

EISSN

1464-0651

ISSN

0165-0254

Publication Date

January 1, 2009

Volume

33

Issue

3

Start / End Page

253 / 264

Related Subject Headings

  • Developmental & Child Psychology
  • 5205 Social and personality psychology
  • 5203 Clinical and health psychology
  • 5201 Applied and developmental psychology
  • 1702 Cognitive Sciences
  • 1701 Psychology