Early Parenting Precursors of Child Developmental Outcomes: What Counts Beyond Parental Sensitivity?

Objective. Parental sensitivity is a precursor of child developmental outcomes, but other parental behaviors such as warmth, stimulation of cognitive development, intrusiveness, and hostility are also associated with those outcomes. The aim of the current study was to untangle unique linkages among parental sensitivity, other parental behaviors, and outcome domains deemed relevant for child welfare in an ethnically homogenous sample. Design. Data from European American dyads of the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (N = 1,097) across 13 waves from 6 months to 15 years of age were split into two datasets for cross validation. Twelve of 284 outcome measures were selected a priori as domain indicators. Only one measure was eligible for the domain Coping, therefore this measure and domain were omitted. Results. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed acceptable model fit for robust outcome domains of Emotional Regulation Problems, Self-Concept, and Problem Behavior assessed during childhood and adolescence. Using structural equation modeling, parental sensitivity statistically predicted Emotional Regulation Problems during primary school and Problem Behavior throughout primary school and adolescence. However, prediction in adolescence was no longer statistically significant after adding demographic confounders. Stimulation of cognitive development predicted Problem Behavior during primary school over and above parental sensitivity, yet, this effect was no longer statistically significant after adding demographic confounders. Parental intrusiveness and detachment, positive and negative regard, and flatness of affect showed no added predictive value. Conclusions. These findings may guide parsimonious assessment of the quality of the caregiving environment of young children.