Predicting Mother/Father–Child Interactions: Parental Personality and Well-being, Socioeconomic Variables and Child Disability Status

Background Child and parent characteristics as well as socioeconomic family variables can influence the quality of parent–child interactions.

Methods Coders rated parent behaviour from a video-taped 30-min family interaction in 91 families rearing children who were either typically developing or had intellectual/developmental disabilities. In addition, mothers and fathers completed NEO-FFI personality items as well as subjective well-being ratings.

Results Coder ratings were factor analysed, resulting in a four-factor parent behaviour inventory. The disability status of the children did not predict ratings on three of the factors, but parents of children with disabilities were perceived as less negative on one factor than parents of typically developing children. Extraversion, occupational status, and subjective well-being related to the child also predicted some parenting behaviours.

Conclusions Parenting a child with intellectual/developmental disabilities did not result in identifiably adverse outcomes for either mothers or fathers as determined by both behavioural and self-report measures.