Citation

Schwebel DC, Brezausek CM. J. Pediatr. Psychol. 2010; 35(8): 806-813.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, and Center for Educational Accountability, University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/jpepsy/jsp130

PMID

20061310

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Parental influences are among the strongest behavioral correlates to unintentional injury outcome in early childhood, but are less well understood as children develop. We implemented a prospective research design to study how parenting style, parent-child relationships, and parental mental health influence injury during middle childhood. We also considered the roles of parent and child gender. METHODS: Parental influences were assessed from a sample of 584 first graders, plus their mothers and fathers. Injuries requiring medical treatment were assessed regularly over the subsequent 5 years. Logistic regression models examined how maternal and paternal parenting factors predicted injury among all children, just boys, and just girls. RESULTS: Fathers who reported more positive relationships with their children had children protected from injury. This was particularly true of father-son relationships. No maternal traits predicted injury. CONCLUSIONS: A positive father-child, and especially a positive father-son relationship, may protect children from injury during middle childhood.

Language: en