The relationship between parenting attitudes and social competence in preschool children with and without disabilities

Research has consistently shown that children with disabilities experience substantial difficulties in their social interactions with peers and caregivers. For typically developing children, factors within the family have been shown to influence social competence, however, the pathway from parenting to social competence is less certain for children with disabilities. The purpose of the present study was to examine differences in the parenting attitudes of parents of children with and without disabilities and to examine how these attitudes relate to children's social competence. Parents of 64 typically developing (35 girls and 29 boys) and 27 special needs children (9 girls and 18 boys) completed the Parent As A Teacher Inventory ( PAAT) while preschool teachers completed a social competence rating scale and the ABILITIES Index. Results indicated that parenting attitudes on the PAAT were predicted only by child ethnicity and parent education level, with more educated, white respondents reporting more positive parenting attitudes. Parenting attitudes for all parents, however, fell in the favorable range. There were no significant differences in the attitudes of parents of children with and without disabilities. Among children with disabilities, parenting attitudes did not significantly correlate with severity of disability, as measured by the ABILITIES Index. Only child's age and developmental status (typically developing and special needs) significantly predicted teacher ratings of social competence. These findings contribute to our understanding of social competence and its role in the development and adaptation of all children, especially children with disabilities. Implications for the development of social skills intervention programs and suggestions for future research are discussed.