Prediction of children’s behavioral problems based on mothers’ parenting styles, emotional expressiveness, emotional control and ambivalence towards emotional expressiveness

The purpose of this study was to determine relationship between parenting styles, emotional expressiveness, emotional control and ambivalence towards emotional expressiveness of mothers who have children with behavioral problems. Research method was descriptive-correlational and statistical population included all third to sixth grade students (nine to 12 years of age) in districts one, five and seven of the City of Tehran municipality. Five schools were chosen, namely, Aftab Azarin, Imam Musa Kazem, 13th Aban, Shahid Cheraghi and Kalam Mehr in the academic year of 2016-2017 (N=1743). Of these, 200 students (102 boys and 98 girls) who met entrance criteria were selected based on availability. Sample size was determined using Rhine’s (1991) formula for sample size, .Each child had earned a T score more that 63 on the Achenbach’s Child Behavior Check List. The Alabama Parenting Questionnaire-Child Form (1991) was filled out by children, The King and Emmons’s Emotional Expressive Questionnaire (1990), Roger and Nesshoever’s Emotional Control Questionnaire (1987), and King and Emmons’s Ambivalence Over Emotional Expressiveness Questionnaire (1990) were filled out by mothers .Correlations and regression analyses were used for data analysis. The results indicated that the study variables were able to predict 20.8 % of the variance of children's behavioral problems (F= 4.494, P= 0.0001). In dimensions of parenting, father participation had the highest predictive power (β= -0.194, P= 0.009). In emotional expressiveness, negative emotional expressiveness component (β= 0.162, P= 0.026), in emotional control, the benign control component (β= 0.200, P= 0.009) and the ambivalence over positive emotional expressiveness were able to predict behavioral problems (β=0.275, P= 0.003). Since parenting styles, emotional expressiveness, emotional control and ambivalence over emotional expressiveness in mothers can be effective in predicting children's behavioral problems, these variables can be used in interventions to prevent and treat behavioral problems of these children and to teach mothers correct ways of expressing emotions.