Interactive Effects of Parental Personality and Child Temperament with Parenting and Family Cohesion

SYNOPSIS Objective. This study examined the main and interactive effects of parental personality and (mother reported) child temperament on reported parenting behavior and family cohesion in Singaporean families. Design. A community sample of families (n = 268) was involved in this one-year longitudinal study. Both parents described themselves on the Big Five personality traits, their parenting behavior, and perceptions of family cohesion. Mothers rated their children's temperament characteristics. The outcome variables, and their changes over time, were predicted over the 1-year period. Results. Maternal reported child temperament moderated the links between specific parental personality traits and parenting behaviors (e.g., low effortful control children evoked lower levels of positive support from high neuroticism fathers). Similar interactions appeared to influence family cohesiveness. Conclusions. In some instances, child temperament assumes a moderating role on the association between parental personality and parenting behaviors (and family cohesiveness).