Mothers’ and fathers’ talk of internal states with toddler and preschool children: gender differences and predictors for parental ratings of children’s social skills

• Author / Creator

  Roger, Katherine Mary

• The current study extends previous literature examining maternal internal state language (ISL) to include paternal-child observations. Gender differences in parents’ ISL with young children was examined, as well as whether ISL was related to parents’ ratings of the children’s social skills. Fifty-seven (28 boys and 29 girls) toddler/preschool children (M age = 32.5 months, SD = 5.38 months) were observed separately with their mothers and fathers while they discussed pictures of children’s facial expressions of emotions. Parents completed a questionnaire concerning their child’s social development (i.e., BASC-2). Interestingly, parents used more emotion language and ISL questions with sons compared to daughters, and sons used more ISL with mothers compared to fathers. No differences were found between mothers’ and fathers’ ISL. Mothers’ social skills ratings was predicted by mothers’ ISL comments, whereas fathers’ ratings were predicted by children’s age and fathers’ ISL clarifications. Implications and limitations of the study are discussed.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Father and infant
  • Social skills in children--Sex differences
  • Mother and infant
  • Toddlers
  • Preschool children
  • Language and emotions
  • Body language

• Graduation date

  Fall 2009

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Education

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3859G

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.