1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«The main goal of the present study was [to] test a mediation model […] where toddler temperament was hypothesized to be associated with parent stress, which in turn would be linked to less parent AS [autonomy support].» (p. 3032)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
«The study took place in the Montreal area, in the province of Québec (Canada). The majority of the sample was recruited from child care centres but some participating parents were recruited through parent associations and parenting blogging websites. […] A total of 181 parents participated in the study (144 mothers, 36 fathers, one unknown; only one participating parent per family). The majority of the sample spoke French at home (89.5 %) and the average age of their toddler (91 boys; 90 girls) was 27.07 months […]. The average age of parents was 33.78 years-old […], ranging from 21 to 45 years old.» (p. 3032)

Instruments :
Questionnaire

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

The «results did not support this initial model but rather suggested that a combination of direct and indirect associations between the toddler temperamental characteristics and parent AS, via parent stress was supported by [the] data. Specifically, [authors] found differential patterns of associations between toddler temperament, parent stress and AS depending on the temperamental characteristics; surgency was not related to parent stress (nor to AS when controlling for the other temperamental characteristics), [n]egative affectivity was indirectly related to AS through its relation with parent stress, while [e]ffortful control was related to AS, both directly and through its relation with parent stress. About a quarter of the variability in parent stress was explained by negative affect and effortful control, and about the same portion of the variability in the use of autonomy-supportive practices was explained by these temperamental characteristics and parent stress. The non-significant relation between surgency and either parent stress or use of AS could be explained by the fact that this aspect of temperament includes both challenging and rewarding characteristics. Perhaps for some parents, the cheerful aspect of surgency compensates for the high activity involved, while other parents experience high levels of stress with toddlers high in surgency.» (p. 3036)