SelfhelpMagazine

by Paul D. Hastings, Ph.D., Carolyn Zahn-Waxler, Ph.D., JoAnn Robinson, Ph.D., Barbara Usher, Ph.D. & Dana Bridges

Researchers investigated the role of mothers in teaching kids how to have concern for others. While genetics certainly play a role in children's behavior, the results of the work discussed in this article show that warm and supportive parenting may play an important role in promoting children's ability to have concern for others.

Difficult Children and Human Concern

Researchers followed three groups of children from preschool into the elementary school years. These children initially had low, moderate or high levels of aggressive and disruptive behaviors.

When the children were four and-a-half and six and-a-half years old, their responses were observed while their mothers and a female experimenter pretended to injure their foot while dropping some objects on the floor. In each case, the adult winced or grimaced, expressed pain and rubbed the injured area. In addition, at six and-a-half years, mothers, teachers and the children answered questions about the children's concern.

The investigation revealed that at preschool age, aggressive and disruptive children showed just as much concern in their responses to adults' distress as did children with fewer problems. However, the concern for others of the children with the highest levels of problem behaviors underwent dynamic and worrisome changes over the following two years.

These children's concerned responses actually decreased from preschool to elementary school. The most aggressive and disruptive children were also described by mothers, teachers and themselves, as being the least pro-social.

The authors noted that not all of the highly aggressive and disruptive children's concern for others decreased and that children with early behavior problems actually improved from preschool to elementary school age when they had higher levels of concern. Concern for others may make it possible for children to take responsibility for their actions, according to the researchers.

The Results
"Our results also show important links between parenting style and children's pro-social development," said the authors. The children had greater concern for others when mothers were

• warm
• used reasoning
• set appropriate guidelines and
• avoided the use of harsh punishments.

Although fathers were not looked at in this study, the authors say future studies should consider how fathers might influence children's concern for others.

Citing research that shows genetics play a significant role in empathic and pro-social development, the authors speculate that biological factors could also contribute to the changes in concern observed in the high-risk children. This is something more in-depth research should address.

Reference:"The Development of Concern for Others in Children With Behavior Problems," Paul D. Hastings, Ph.D., Carolyn Zahn-Waxler, Ph.D., JoAnn Robinson, Ph.D., Barbara Usher, Ph.D. & Dana Bridges; Developmental Psychology, Vol. 36, No. 5.

This information received from the American Psychological Association (APA), in Washington, DC.