Shared positive emotion during parent-toddler play and parent and child well-being in Mexican origin families

Abstract

Objective: The present study aimed to examine the association between mother-child and father-child shared positive emotion and parent self-reported parenting stress, as well as parent rated child socio-emotional adjustment.

Method: Data were collected from 107 Mexican origin families with a toddler age child (M = 17.49 months; 55 boys, 52 girls). During home visits parents completed questionnaires concerning demographic characteristics, cultural beliefs, parent well-being, and children's socio-emotional adjustment. In addition, mother-child and father-child dyads were videotaped during separate 15-min, semistructured play sessions, from which parent and child expression of emotion was coded for shared positive affect.

Results: Data revealed that parent endorsement of Familismo and Simpatia cultural beliefs was associated with higher levels of shared positive affect during parent-child interaction. In turn, mother-child shared positive affect was significantly associated with lower maternal self-reported parenting stress. There was no association between father-child shared positive emotion and father reported parenting stress. Nor was there an association between parent-child shared positive affect and parent rated child social competence. However, as predicted high levels of shared positive affect in both mother-child and father-child dyads was associated with lower parent-rated externalizing behavior.

Keywords: Cultural values; Mexican origin families; Parenting stress; Shared affect; Toddlers.