Randomized trial examines reciprocal links between harsh parenting and conduct problems, highlighting importance of emotional regulation.
Key Points
The study investigates how harsh parenting and emotional dysregulation are interconnected and influence conduct problems in childhood.
Data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study (N=16,328) was used.
A random-intercept cross-lagged panel model (RI-CLPM) examined longitudinal associations among the variables.
Analysis covered ages 3, 5, and 7, emphasizing bidirectional influences.
Harsh parenting increased emotional dysregulation (β = 0.055) and conduct problems, while early conduct problems also heightened emotional dysregulation and harsh parenting (β = 0.013).
Both indirect effects were statistically significant, with a larger effect for the child-driven pathway than the parent-driven pathway.
The findings remained consistent despite analyses addressing potential confounding factors.