A correlational study of children's temperament and parent behavior

Children's temperament is increasingly recognized as an influence upon the quality of the child's interactions with the environment. In this study 19 mothers' and 19 fathers' ratings of laboratory preschool children's activity level, mood quality, intensity, approach, adaptability, and persistence were correlated with self-reported parent behavior factors, as measured on the Iowa Parent Behavior Inventory (IPBI). Among fathers, adaptability, approach, and persistence were positively associated with Parent Involvement, Reasoning Guidance, Limit Setting, Responsiveness, and Intimacy, as measured on the IPBI. Children's intensity and activity level were negatively associated with father behavior factors. Among mothers, few significant correlations were obtained. The variability of behavior style within this sample of "normally developing" children and apparent differences in mothers' and fathers' perceptions of children's behavior in relation to their own behavior is worthy of further attention. The results tentatively suggest that the child's behavior style contributes to the style of parent behavior.