Parenting practices and dysregulation profile in a sample of Italian children

Background: emotional dysregulation is a transdiagnostic factor linked to a heightened risk for psychopathology. A dysregulation profile (DP) derived from the Strenght and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is often used to indirectly assess emotional dysregulation in children and adolescents. Theoretical models account for parenting as a causal and maintaining factor for emotional dysregulation. Notwithstanding, empirical data are scant. Methods: 547 students (47.5% males) aged between 9 and 11 years of age (mean age = 9.66, SD = 0.64) were assessed with the SDQ-DP (teacher and parent-reported) and their parents self-reported on their own parenting practices with the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire. Results: as expected, SDQ-DP teacher-rated was positively associated with maternal and paternal negative parenting practices; SDQ-DP mother and father-rated were both negatively associated with maternal and paternal positive parenting and positively associated with maternal and paternal negative parenting practices. Limitation: the age range is limited to pre-adolescents. The cross-sectional nature of the study precludes inferences on causality. Conclusions: youth's emotional dysregulation is linked to parenting practices. These findings support the need to include families in the intervention for emotionally dysregulated youths.

Automated summary

The study found that youth's emotional dysregulation is associated with parenting practices. This suggests the importance of including family factors in interventions for emotionally dysregulated youths.