A Prospective Cohort Study On The Effect Of Early Childhood Parenting Styles,Consistency And Stability On Emotional And Behavioral Problems Of Preschool Children

Objective To describe the distribution of emotional and behavioral problems in preschool children,explore the correlation between consistency and stability of parenting styles in early childhood,and the relationship between emotional and behavioral problems in preschool children,and provide evidence-based guidelines for the development of children’s health care to reduce emotional and behavioral problems in preschool children.Method Based on the Ma’anshan Birth Chort(MABC),preschool children were selected as the research object.The Self-designed Questionnaire of Infant Health and the Questionnaire of Preschool Children Health were used to collect basic information,included gender,only child,parents’ age,nature of work,education level,family income,family residence,breastfeeding,father’s smoking history,outdoor activities,secondhand smoke exposure,etc.It also included gestational age,mode of delivery,birth weight,pregnancy related-anxiety.At the age of 18 months and 30 months,primary supporter filled in the Brief Toddler Parenting Style Questionnaire to assess parenting styles,respectively.This study was the 15 th follow-up of the cohort from October 2017 to April 2019,the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was used to assess the emotional and behavioral development of children.A total of 2 758 4-year-old children were followed up,with follow-up rate of 84.3%.The incomplete information questionnaire was excluded.Finally,2 041 preschool children were included in the analysis.Include and exclude group comparisons used chisquare tests to describe the distribution of emotional and behavioral problems in preschool children.Univariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors of emotional and behavioral problems.Correlation analysis and paired sample t test were used to analyze the consistency and stability of parenting styles.Multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between parenting styles and their consistency and stability and preschool children’s emotional and behavioral problems.Result In study,8.2% had emotional symptoms,9.6% had conduct problems,8.8% had hyperactivity,2.5% had abnormal peer interaction,and 11.5% had pro-social behavior problems.After controlling confounding factors,there was significant correlation between bad parenting style and preschool children’s behavior problems.Parents’ low warmth and interaction(RR = 1.81,95%CI: 1.19-2.75),low attention and acceptance(RR = 2.06,95%CI: 1.27-3.33),high neglect and restrictions(RR = 2.28,95%CI: 1.30-4.01)to increase the risk of children’s conduct problems,warmth and interaction with father was high and mother was low(RR = 1.84,95%CI: 1.12-3.01)and parents’ low warmth and interaction(RR = 1.92,95%CI: 1.13-3.25),high ignore and restriction(RR = 2.08,95%CI: 1.05-4.12)associated with hyperactivity,outdoor and social with father was high and mother was low(RR = 4.28,95%CI: 1.73-10.61)significantly positively predict children’s peer interaction problems,parents’ low warmth and interaction(RR = 2.53,95%CI: 1.78-3.60),low attention and acceptance(RR = 3.02,95%CI: 2.02-4.53),low outdoor and social(RR = 2.82,95%CI: 1.99-4.00),high limitations(RR = 1.58,95%CI: 1.03-2.40)increase the risk of preschool children’s prosocial behavior.Constant low outdoor and social(RR = 1.90,95%CI: 1.05-3.42),constant high neglect and restriction(RR = 4.88,95%CI: 1.50-15.86)were positive association with children’s abnormal emotional symptom,parents unstable warmth and interaction(RR = 2.00,95%CI: 1.40-2.87),unstable attention and acceptance(RR = 1.53,95%CI: 1.06-2.19),unstable outdoor and social instability(RR = 1.48,95%CI: 1.04-2.09),unstable neglect and limitation(RR = 3.87,95%CI: 1.36-11.04)and parental constant high neglect and limitation(RR = 4.15,95%CI: 1.49-11.60)were associated with children’s conduct problems in a statistically significant way,parents unstable warmth and interaction(RR = 1.62,95%CI: 1.05-2.49)and constant high ignore and restricted(RR = 2.92,95%CI: 1.03-8.24),such as upbringing and preschool children hyperactivity behavior abnormalities,parents’ unstable attention and acceptance(RR = 2.32,95%CI: 1.24-4.32)increased the risk of preschool children who were exceptional,parental unstable(RR = 1.65,95%CI: 1.20-2.26)and constant low warmth and interaction(RR = 2.34,95%CI: 1.57-3.50),unstable(RR = 1.72,95%CI: 1.25-2.35)and constant low attention and acceptance(RR = 3.39,95%CI: 2.00-5.76),unstable(RR = 2.25,95%CI: 1.65-3.08)and constant low outdoor and social interaction(RR = 3.19,95%CI: 2.08-4.89),unstable(RR = 1.84,95%CI: 1.01-3.37),and constant high neglect and restriction(RR = 1.81,95%CI: 1.01-3.24)were significantly positive predictors of prosocial behavior problems in children.Conclusion Parenting styles are closely related to emotional and behavioral problems of preschool children,but there are differences in the development of specific dimensions.Negative,inconsistent,and unstable parenting styles have a negative impact on preschool children’s emotional symptoms,behavior problems,hyperactivity,peer interaction,and prosocial behavior.The research results have certain practical significance for family education and health care work for preschool children.