Child characteristics and their reciprocal effects on parenting

Abstract

Modern understandings of child development recognize that it is shaped over time by a complex interplay of intrinsic child characteristics and multiple aspects of the environment. This has directed attention to the role of individual differences between children in influencing the way that parenting works. These differences range from basic attributes such as gender and health, to psychological factors such as temperament and cognition. Of these, the role of child temperament has received by far the greatest attention. While differences in temperamental dimensions, such as reactivity and self-regulation, directly impact on many aspects of social and emotional development, they can also inter..