Autonomy and children's reactions to being controlled: evidence that both compliance and defiance may be positive markers in early development.

Full Abstract

This study examined reactions of 1-year-olds and young 2-year-olds to being controlled by mothers. Mothers' supportive behavior predicted children's willing compliance. However, contrary to research with older children, defiance was also associated with variables linked to maternal competence, specifically, mothers' supportive behavior, autonomy-granting controls, and low depressive symptoms. At this age high-defiant children initiated positive interaction with mothers more than did low-defiant children. With age, children displayed more willing compliance and more active resistance (defiance, low passivity). However, developmental increases in active resistance were absent when mothers were high in depressive symptoms. Findings are consistent with the proposal that in early development active resistance to parents often reflects children's motivation to control events, not poor parenting or strained parent-child relationships.

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Author information

Author/s: Dix, Theodore (T); Stewart, Amanda D (AD); Gershoff, Elizabeth T (ET); Day, William H (WH);

Affiliation: Department of Human Ecology, The University of Texas at Austin 78712, USA. teddix(-atsign-)mail.utexas.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Journal: Child development (Child Dev), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: -2007 Jul-Aug; vol 78 (issue 4) : pp 1204-21

Dates: Created 2007/07/25; Completed 2007/10/18;

PMID: 17650134, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Assertiveness
Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders - psychology
Child, Preschool
Cooperative Behavior
Depression - psychology
Female
Humans
Individuation
Infant
Internal-External Control

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