Effects of Parental Acceptance-Rejection on Children’s Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors: A Longitudinal, Multicultural Study

W. Andrew Rothenberg, Sumbleen Ali, Ronald P. Rohner, Jennifer E. Lansford, Preston A. Britner, Laura Di Giunta, Kenneth A. Dodge, Patrick S. Malone, Paul Oburu, Concetta Pastorelli, Ann T. Skinner, Emma Sorbring, Laurence Steinberg, Sombat Tapanya, Liliana Maria Uribe Tirado, Saengduean Yotanyamaneewong, Liane Peña Alampay, Suha M. Al-Hassan, Dario Bacchini, Marc H. BornsteinLei Chang, Kirby Deater-Deckard

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Background: Grounded in interpersonal acceptance-rejection theory, this study assessed children's (N=1,315) perceptions of maternal and paternal acceptance-rejection in nine countries (China, Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States) as predictors of children's externalizing and internalizing behaviors across ages 7-14 years.

Methods: Parenting behaviors were measured using children's reports on the Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire. Child externalizing and internalizing behaviors were measured using mother, father, and child reports on the Achenbach System of Empirically-Based Assessment.

Results: Using a multilevel modeling framework, we found that in cultures where both maternal and paternal indifference/neglect scores were higher than average-compared to other cultures -children's internalizing problems were more persistent. At the within-culture level, all four forms of maternal and paternal rejection (i.e., coldness/lack of affection, hostility/aggression, indifference/neglect, and undifferentiated rejection) were independently associated with both externalizing and internalizing problems across ages 7-14 even after controlling for child gender, parent education, and each of the four forms of parental rejection.

Conclusions: Results demonstrate that the effects of perceived parental acceptance-rejection are panculturally similar.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)29-47
Number of pages19
JournalJournal of Child and Family Studies
Volume31
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2022

Keywords

  • Externalizing
  • Internalizing
  • Interpersonal Acceptance-Rejection Theory
  • Longitudinal
  • Multicultural

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Developmental and Educational Psychology
  • Life-span and Life-course Studies

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