Children feel most positively about mothers who respect their autonomy
Wednesday, January 28, 2015 - 12:00
in Psychology & Sociology
Mothers who support their children's need for autonomy as the children grow tend to be viewed more positively by their children. The study included more than 2,000 mothers and their children. It measured maternal directiveness -- or the extent to which mothers controlled activities -- in play when children were 2 years old and then during a discussion about areas of disagreement when the children were in the fifth grade. Mothers' tendencies to display controlling behaviors predicted the extent to which the children viewed their mothers positively or negatively when the children were in fifth grade.