Relationships between Children's Temperament, Maternal Control Strategies and Children's Self-Control Behaviors

유아의 기질, 어머니의 통제책략과 유아의 자기통제행동과의 관계

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether children's temperament and maternal control strategies were related to the self-control behaviors of 3-year-old children. The sample was comprised of 50 young children, ranging from 37 to 50 months of age, and their mothers. Mothers were asked to complete a questionnaire on children's temperament. Situational observation was conducted for obtaining data on maternal control strategies and for children's self-control behaviors in a resistance to temptation situation. All the subjects' activities were videotaped for 20 minutes. Differences were found in maternal control strategies and children's self-control behaviors by gender of child and by age and education of mothers. Relationships were found between children's temperament and maternal control strategies. However, children's temperament had an indirect effect on their self-control behaviors through maternal control strategies. The findings indicated that the self-control development of children in this sample were in a transitional stage.