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Social Development of Preschool Children in Croatia: Contributions of Child Temperament, Maternal Life Satisfaction and Rearing Practices

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Abstract

We conducted the present study to examine the relationship of maternal characteristics (estimated happiness and life satisfaction, and child-rearing practices) and children’s temperament to conduct problems and prosocial behavior of preschool children in Croatia. Participants were mothers of 258 children (mean age 61.62 months), who gave their estimations on the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Subjective Happiness Scale, the Parental Behaviour Questionnaire, the EAS Temperament Survey and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. After analyzing correlations between all the variables included in research, we conducted two hierarchical regression analyses with implementation of predictor variables in 4 stages (socio-demographic variables; mothers’ estimated happiness and life satisfaction; child temperament; mothers’ parenting). In the final step of regression significant predictors of preschoolers’ conduct problems were children’s age, temperamental emotionality and activity, and mothers’ punishment and inductive reasoning. When predicting children’s prosocial behavior, significant predictors were mothers’ inductive reasoning and warmth, and children’s age and temperamental shyness.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar, Zagreb, Croatia

    Andreja Brajša-Žganec

  2. Psychology Department, Center for Croatian Studies, University of Zagreb, Campus Borongaj, Borongajska cesta 83 d, 10 000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Ivana Hanzec

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  1. Andreja Brajša-Žganec
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  2. Ivana Hanzec
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Correspondence to Ivana Hanzec.

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Brajša-Žganec, A., Hanzec, I. Social Development of Preschool Children in Croatia: Contributions of Child Temperament, Maternal Life Satisfaction and Rearing Practices. J Child Fam Stud 23, 105–117 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-012-9696-8

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