Relationship between parenting and internalizing and externalizing problems: the mediating role of attachment

• Published in: Interação em Psicologia
• Main Authors: Sandra Adriana Neves Nunes, Ana Maria Xavier Faraco, Mauro Luis Vieira, Carolina Saraiva de Macedo Lisboa, Kenneth H. Rubin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Federal do Paraná 2016-11-01
• Subjects: problemas externalizantes; problemas internalizantes; vínculo de apego; práticas parentais
• Online Access: http://revistas.ufpr.br/psicologia/article/view/32371

Children emotional and behavioral problems have been a topic of increasing investigation due to its high stability and its role as a predictor to psychopathological disorders in adulthood. This study investigated the mediating role of attachment to the association between parenting practices externalizing problems (aggression and delinquency) and internalizing (social withdrawal and anxiety / depression). A total of 289 children (Mage = 10,5; SD = 0,77) answered the Security Scale, an instrument about parenting practices (PRRC) and the Child Behavior Checklist. The results indicated that the quality of maternal attachment played a mediating role on externalizing problems, but not on internalizing which emphasize the important role that attachment quality can play in the association between parenting practices and emotional and behavioral problems in childhood.