Date of Award
2022
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Organizational Unit
College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences, Psychology
First Advisor
Sarah Enos Watamura
Second Advisor
Julia Dmitrieva
Third Advisor
Lauren McGrath
Fourth Advisor
Jenalee Doom
Fifth Advisor
Jennifer Bellamy
Keywords
Executive functioning, Multi-method parenting, Positive parenting, Set-shifting, Working memory
Abstract
Supportive and responsive parenting is vital to the healthy development of young children. Parenting behaviors are determined by many factors, including caregivers’ cognitive resources and abilities such as executive functioning (EF). The present study investigated how two core dimensions of EF, working memory and set-shifting abilities, are related to parenting behaviors in a sample of Latinx caregivers of young children experiencing low income. Positive parenting was measured using a multi-method approach including video-coded observations, parent self-report, and evaluation of the home environment. Findings from hierarchical regressions indicated that caregiver working memory, but not set-shifting, predicted positive parenting as measured by this multi-method parenting composite. Regarding negative parenting, poorer working memory predicted more negative parenting behaviors during free play, while poorer setshifting predicted more anger during free play. Intrusiveness during free play was not significantly predicted by EF. Finally, relations were tested between EF and parenting during a task designed to be frustrating for the child. Under these conditions, caregiver set-shifting abilities predicted observed positive parenting behaviors during the caregiver-child interaction while working memory did not. EF was not related to negative parenting behaviors of intrusiveness or anger during the frustration task. These findings provide valuable insight into the role caregiver EF plays in parenting young children under both non-stress and stress conditions. Results from the current study also inform recommendations for parenting interventions and provide important future directions for research exploring the potential impact of caregiver EF on parenting of young children.
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Rights Holder
Amy Dominguez Fabatz
Provenance
Received from ProQuest
File Format
application/pdf
Language
en
File Size
112 pgs
Recommended Citation
Fabatz, Amy Dominguez, "Executive Function and Parenting Among Latinx Caregivers of Young Children" (2022). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2115.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/2115
Copyright date
2022
Discipline
Clinical psychology