Overview

Abstract (English)

Problems with inattention, physical aggression, and poor cognitive skills when children enter school can have long-term negative effects on their development. In this study, we address the issues of whether and how parental engagement and guidance are related to children’s behavioral and cognitive problems throughout elementary school. The analyses are based on data from nearly 10,000 children aged 6 to 11 years followed longitudinally in the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth. Results were obtained through the multilevel modeling of children’s growth trajectories. We purposefully limited our analyses to the parenting practices of the biological mothers of children from intact families. Our analyses indicate positive relationships between engagement and guidance with children’s cognitive and behavioral development at age 6 as well as over time. These relationships are evident even after controlling for family socioeconomic characteristics; however, they differ with children’s gender and the outcome considered.

Abstract (French)

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