Verschillen tussen vaders en moeders in de relatie tussen opvoedingsgedrag en sociale angst van hun kinderen

In this longitudinal study, two research questions were examined. First, differences in parenting behaviour between fathers and mothers were studied. Fathers and mothers were each (separately) observed with their two children, aged 2 and 4 years, in three structured situations: one puzzle task and two game tasks. Three parenting dimensions were coded: overinvolvement, rejection, and challenging behaviour. Fathers showed more challenging behaviour towards their youngest child than mothers, and mothers showed more overinvolvement towards this child. Fathers and mothers did not differ significantly in these parenting behaviours towards their oldest child. Rejection appeared not usable. The second research question was whether the effect of parenting behaviour on subsequent social anxiety of the children differed between fathers and mothers. Social anxiety was measured on two occasions by observing the child's response to a stranger. Regression analyses revealed no predictive relations of early social anxiety and of paternal and maternal overinvolvement to subsequent social anxiety of the oldest child. However, mother's challenging behaviour predicted more subsequent social anxiety, and father's challenging behaviour predicted less subsequent social anxiety of the oldest child. For the youngest child, maternal and paternal parenting behaviour did not predict subsequent social anxiety, but early social anxiety marginally predicted later social anxiety, in both parental models. The findings suggest that fathers and mothers may play different roles in the development and prevention of social anxiety in their children, and that fathers' role deserves special attention.