PARENTING AND INTERNALIZING DIFFICULTIES IN ARGENTINE CHILDREN: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF SOCIAL COMPETENCE

SCHULZ BEGLE, ANNIE; RICHAUD DE MINZI, MARÍA CRISTINA; LEMOS, VIVIANA

Montréal, Quebec

Congreso; 2011 Biennial Meeting Schedule; 2011

SRCD (Society for Research in Chid Development)

Children’s emotional adjustment has been largely associated to characteristics of the relationships with both parents and peers. Research has usually focused on parenting and social competence as predictors of internalizing problems and, although several studies recognize the interaction between these predictors, rarely has this influence been conceptualized as a mediated relationship. Research has been consistent in showing how parenting practices influence the development of internalizing difficulties (McDonald, Bowker, Rubin, Laursen, & Duchene, 2010; Rubin, Booth, Rose-Krasnor, & Mills, 1995). Authoritative parenting, with characteristics of warmness, support and positive monitoring, protects children against depression, loneliness and anxiety, whereas those children who lack support from their parents, are neglected or exposed to significant criticism and rather extreme levels of parental monitoring are more vulnerable to the development and maintenance of internalizing problems (Richaud de Minzi, 2006; Williams et al., 2009). On the other hand, ever since Lewinsohn first presented the theory of a recursive relationship between social skills and depression (Lewinsohn et al., 1980), the linkages between social competence and internalizing problems have become increasingly evident. Higher levels of social skills may lead to more positive interpersonal interactions and reduce the likelihood of internalized problems (Engels, Dekoviæ, & Meeus, 2002; Rubin, Bukowski, & Parker, 2006).  The relationship between parenting and social competence is also well established. The best performance in social competence is manifested by children of warm, responsive and positively monitoring parents (Lamborn et al., 1991; Rubin et al., 2006). In summary, the purpose of this study was to examine the relation between parenting practices and internalizing problems such as depressive symptoms and loneliness experienced by children, testing the mediating role of social skills in this relationship.             Participants were 607 argentine children between 8 and 12 years old (M = 10.34), 52.6% girls and 47.4% boys attending public and private schools in the cities of Buenos Aires, Paraná and Puerto Iguazú, Argentina. The questionnaires used were all Argentine validations of already existing measures: Relationships with Parents Scale (Richaud de Minzi, 2007), Matson Evaluation of Social Skills with Youngsters (Schulz Begle, 2009), Harter´s Dimensions of Depression Profile for Children and Adolescents, and the Louvain Loneliness Scale for Children and Adolescents (both by Richaud de Minzi et al., 2001). The procedure followed in order to test the direct and indirect effects of predictors was that proposed by Baron and Kenny (1986) through multiple regression analyses. Results confirmed several mediated effects both for depressive symptoms and loneliness. The buffering effect of both parents’ acceptance on internalizing problems seemed to be explained by a higher performance in social competence. An unexpected positive effect of autonomy granting by both parents on internalizing difficulties was mediated by social skills, which also mediated the effect of mother’s permissiveness on loneliness. These findings underline the importance of both a positive parenting and the development of adequate interpersonal competences as a protective resource against internalizing difficulties. The distinctive results are furthermore discussed from a cultural perspective.