TY - JOUR
T1 - Does caregivers' use of praise reduce children's externalizing behavior?
T2 - A longitudinal observational test in the context of a parenting program
AU - Weeland, Joyce
AU - Brummelman, Eddie
AU - Jaffee, Sara R
AU - Chhangur, Rabia R
AU - van der Giessen, Danielle
AU - Matthys, Walter
AU - Orobio de Castro, Bram
AU - Overbeek, Geertjan
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was financially supported by a grant to Geertjan Overbeek from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO:VIDI 452-10-005), Eddie Brummelman was supported by the Jacobs Foundation and Joyce Weeland was supported by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO:016.VENI.195.387).
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Caregivers are often encouraged to praise children to reduce externalizing behavior. Although several theoretical perspectives suggest that praise works (e.g., praise reinforces positive behavior), others suggest it may not (e.g., children dismiss praise or experience it as controlling). This longitudinal-observational study examined whether (a) caregivers' praise and children's externalizing behavior were related; (b) an evidence-based parenting program increased caregivers' praise; (c) and increasing praise reduced children's externalizing behavior. Participants (387 caregiver-child dyads) were randomly assigned to a 14-session parenting program (aiming to improve parenting behavior, partly via praise) or a control group. Children (aged 4-8 years, 45% girls) scored at or above the 75th percentile on externalizing behavior problems. Caregivers (91% Caucasian, 85% born in the Netherlands, 50.5% highly educated) were mostly mothers (91%). At baseline, postintervention, and follow-up, we assessed caregivers' labeled and unlabeled praise via in-home observations, and children's externalizing behavior via caregiver-reports and observations. At baseline, caregivers' unlabeled praise was related to more (rather than less) externalizing behavior. The parenting program successfully increased praise and reduced caregiver-reported (but not observed) externalizing behavior; importantly, however, praise did not mediate the program's effect on caregiver-reported externalizing behavior. Although the program did not directly reduce observed externalizing behavior, it did so indirectly via labeled praise. Our results suggest that, although praise and externalizing child behavior are related, praise may not be a key mechanism underlying the effects of the parenting program. If praise has beneficial effects on children's externalizing behavior, these effects are probably limited to labeled praise.
AB - Caregivers are often encouraged to praise children to reduce externalizing behavior. Although several theoretical perspectives suggest that praise works (e.g., praise reinforces positive behavior), others suggest it may not (e.g., children dismiss praise or experience it as controlling). This longitudinal-observational study examined whether (a) caregivers' praise and children's externalizing behavior were related; (b) an evidence-based parenting program increased caregivers' praise; (c) and increasing praise reduced children's externalizing behavior. Participants (387 caregiver-child dyads) were randomly assigned to a 14-session parenting program (aiming to improve parenting behavior, partly via praise) or a control group. Children (aged 4-8 years, 45% girls) scored at or above the 75th percentile on externalizing behavior problems. Caregivers (91% Caucasian, 85% born in the Netherlands, 50.5% highly educated) were mostly mothers (91%). At baseline, postintervention, and follow-up, we assessed caregivers' labeled and unlabeled praise via in-home observations, and children's externalizing behavior via caregiver-reports and observations. At baseline, caregivers' unlabeled praise was related to more (rather than less) externalizing behavior. The parenting program successfully increased praise and reduced caregiver-reported (but not observed) externalizing behavior; importantly, however, praise did not mediate the program's effect on caregiver-reported externalizing behavior. Although the program did not directly reduce observed externalizing behavior, it did so indirectly via labeled praise. Our results suggest that, although praise and externalizing child behavior are related, praise may not be a key mechanism underlying the effects of the parenting program. If praise has beneficial effects on children's externalizing behavior, these effects are probably limited to labeled praise.
KW - CONDUCT PROBLEMS
KW - ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS
KW - EXTRINSIC REWARDS
KW - INCREDIBLE YEARS
KW - INTERVENTION
KW - INTRINSIC MOTIVATION
KW - INVENTORY ECBI
KW - RATING-SCALE
KW - SELF-DETERMINATION THEORY
KW - YOUNG-CHILDREN
KW - externalizing behavior
KW - labeled praise
KW - parenting training
KW - praise
KW - randomized controlled trial
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85130618066&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/dev0001357
DO - 10.1037/dev0001357
M3 - Article
C2 - 35357866
SN - 0012-1649
VL - 58
SP - 1371
EP - 1385
JO - Developmental Psychology
JF - Developmental Psychology
IS - 7
ER -