(PS10-B44) Examining Parenting Practices and Routines as Possible Mediators of Parenting Inflexibility and Child Behaviors

Due to the high prevalence rates of child behavioral problems, considerable research has focused on factors contributing to child behavioral problems (Rose et al., 2017; Tichovolsky et al., 2013). Parenting inflexibility (i.e., when parents avoid difficult thoughts and feelings related to their parenting and engage in rigid behaviors that are inconsistent with their parenting values) has been shown to relate to child internalizing and externalizing behaviors through ineffective parenting practices (Brassell et al., 2016). However, child routines have yet to be explored in this relationship. Given that child routines are a cost-effective intervention for reducing child behavioral problems (Harris et al., 2014), it is important to understand its relation to both child internalizing and externalizing behaviors in the context of other parenting factors. Thus, the primary purpose of this study was to examine parenting practices and child routines as mediators of the relationship between parenting inflexibility and child behavioral outcomes.

Mothers of school-aged children (N = 157, M = 8.80, SD = 1.91) were recruited through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. The children were relatively evenly dispersed in gender (42.7% males, 57.3% females) and were mostly White (76.4%). Each mother completed the Parental Acceptance Questionnaire (6-PAQ; Greene et al., 2015), Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ; Shelton et al., 1996), Child Routines Questionnaire (CRQ; Sytsma et al., 2001), and the Child Behavior Checklist/6-18 (CBCL; Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001).

Ordinary least squares regression models using 5,000 bootstrap samples to generate 95% bias-corrected confidence intervals (Hayes, 2013) indicated that negative parenting practices partially mediated the relationship between parenting inflexibility and child internalizing (B = .22, SE = .08, CI [.08, .39]) and externalizing behaviors (B = .21, SE = .08, CI [.07, .37]). Mothers with high levels of parenting inflexibility reported more negative parenting practices, which in turn was associated with more child internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Alternative models were also supported when the predictor and mediator were reversed, suggesting a possible bidirectional relationship between negative parenting practices and parenting inflexibility. Contrary to hypotheses, positive parenting practices and child routines (independently) did not mediate the relationship between parenting inflexibility and child internalizing behaviors (or externalizing behaviors). However, mothers with high levels of parenting inflexibility did report engaging in less positive parenting practices and less frequent child routines.

Results from this study suggest that parenting inflexibility may be displayed through negative parenting practices, resulting in child internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Moreover, parenting inflexibility and negative parenting practices (i.e., poor monitoring/supervision, inconsistent discipline, and corporal punishment) may be important targets for interventions to prevent or reduce child behavioral problems. Limitations and future directions will be discussed.