In this study, we examined the potential interaction effect between fathers' basal testosterone levels and their ability to control their impulses in relation to their quality of parenting.... Show moreIn this study, we examined the potential interaction effect between fathers' basal testosterone levels and their ability to control their impulses in relation to their quality of parenting. Participants included 159 fathers and their preschoolers. Evening and morning salivary samples were analyzed with isotope dilution-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (ID-LC-MS/MS) to determine basal testosterone (T) levels. During a home-visit, fathers' self-control was measured with a computerized Go/NoGo task, and their sensitivity and respect for child autonomy was observed in a free-play session. We found that higher T levels in the evening were related to less respect for child autonomy, but only in fathers with low self-control. Further, higher T in the evening was related to more sensitive parenting, yet only in fathers with high self-control. These findings indicate that different aspects of fathers' quality of parenting are differently affected by the interaction between T and self-control. Further research is needed to clarify the interplay between fathers' neuro-endocrine system functioning and their trait characteristics in relation to the development of father-child relationships. Show less
Berkel, S.R. van; Groeneveld, M.G.; Pol, L.D. van der; Endendijk, J.J.; Hallers-Haalboom, E.T.; Bakermans-Kranenburg, M.J.; Mesman, J. 2017
Parental limit setting is a challenging and common situation in the daily lives of young children. During these situations, older siblings may use their more advanced cognitive skills and their... Show moreParental limit setting is a challenging and common situation in the daily lives of young children. During these situations, older siblings may use their more advanced cognitive skills and their greater physical strength to discipline their younger sibling and prevent or correct noncompliant behavior. This is the first study to examine preschoolers' discipline towards their toddler siblings during parental limit setting. In addition to observing preschoolers' sibling discipline, associations with their inhibitory control and externalizing behavior, their sibling's noncompliance and both children's gender were investigated. Sibling discipline was observed during parental limit setting in 285 families during one home visit with the mother and one home visit with the father. Preschoolers did discipline their younger siblings without being asked in the majority of the families, with girls displaying more disciplining behavior than boys. Toddlers' noncompliance was related to increased sibling discipline when their older siblings showed high levels of externalizing behavior themselves, although no such relation was found in case of older siblings with low levels of externalizing behavior. Sibling discipline was not related to preschoolers' inhibitory control or toddler's gender. Sibling discipline might thus be an expression of power assertion of the older sibling, instead of the moral urge to prevent transgressions. Show less
Hallers-Haalboom, E.T.; Groeneveld, M.G.; Berkel, S.R. van; Endendijk, J.J.; Pol, L.D. van der; Linting, M.; ... ; Mesman, J. 2017
This longitudinal study examines the association between child gender and child aggression via parents’ physical control, moderated by parents’ gender‐role stereotypes in a sample of 299 two‐parent... Show moreThis longitudinal study examines the association between child gender and child aggression via parents’ physical control, moderated by parents’ gender‐role stereotypes in a sample of 299 two‐parent families with a 3‐year‐old child in the Netherlands. Fathers with strong stereotypical gender‐role attitudes and mothers were observed to use more physical control strategies with boys than with girls, whereas fathers with strong counterstereotypical attitudes toward gender roles used more physical control with girls than with boys. Moreover, when fathers had strong attitudes toward gender roles (stereotypical or counterstereotypical), their differential treatment of boys and girls completely accounted for the gender differences in children's aggressive behavior a year later. Mothers’ gender‐differentiated parenting practices were unrelated to gender differences in child aggression. Show less
Endendijk, J.J.; Hallers-Haalboom, E.T.; Groeneveld, M.G.; Berkel, S.R. van; Pol, L.D. van der; Bakermans-Kranenburg, M.J.; Mesman, J. 2016
Children with younger brothers or sisters are exposed to parenting directed towards themselves as well as parenting directed towards their siblings. We examined the hypothesis that mothers' and... Show moreChildren with younger brothers or sisters are exposed to parenting directed towards themselves as well as parenting directed towards their siblings. We examined the hypothesis that mothers' and fathers' sensitive parenting towards their second-borns predicts compliance and sharing behavior in their firstborns, over and above their parenting towards their firstborns. In a sample of 388 families with a toddler and infant, parental sensitivity, child sharing behavior, and child compliance were observed during two different home visits, one with father and one with mother present. The results showed that toddlers shared more with their younger siblings and showed more compliance when their fathers were more sensitive towards them, but only if fathers showed low sensitivity towards the younger siblings. We suggest two explanations: toddlers may show more positive behavior to ensure continuation of their favored position, or they may compensate for the lack of fathers' sensitivity towards the younger siblings. Our study highlights the importance of the broader family context of parenting for child socio-emotional development. Show less
