學齡前嬰幼兒之社會情緒能力──與嬰幼兒語言能力及父母教養之關聯

PRESCHOOLERS' SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE IN RELATION TO THEIR LANGUAGE ABILITY AND CAREGIVERS' PARENTING BEHAVIORS

研究目的：本研究旨在探討學齡前嬰幼兒之語言能力及父母教養方式分別與學齡前嬰幼兒之社會及情緒能力的關聯，並進一步了解不同教養方式在學齡前嬰幼兒之語言能力與其社會情緒能力之關聯間，是否具有調節效果。研究設計／方法／取徑：研究參與者為235位學齡前嬰幼兒（男孩122名、女孩113名），平均月齡為18.99個月（標準差為10.83）；由學齡前嬰幼兒之主要照顧者（89.4%為親生母親、10.6%為親生父親）填答相關量表。研究發現或結論：本研究發現，學齡前嬰幼兒之語言能力、父母之回應教養皆與學齡前嬰幼兒之社會及情緒能力呈現正相關。此外，在特定情況下（即年幼子女有明顯不當、逾矩或反抗行為），父母之責罰教養與學齡前嬰幼兒之社會及情緒能力呈現正相關；同時，父母責罰教養亦在學齡前嬰幼兒之語言能力與其社會情緒能力之關聯間，具有調節作用；亦即，對於語言能力相對較差的學齡前嬰幼兒而言，當父母針對其不當行為採取責罰方式進行管教之傾向較高時，其社會情緒能力相對較佳。研究原創性／價值性：具負向特性（如：行為責罰）之父母教養方式的功能與影響，需在考量孩子的發展階段及發展特性上，加以深入探討。

Purpose This study aims to explore how the preschoolers' language ability and caregivers' parenting behaviors relate to preschoolers' social and emotional competence, as well as to examine whether caregivers' parenting behaviors play a moderating role in the link between preschoolers' language ability and their social and emotional competence. Design/methodology/approach The participants were 235 preschoolers (122 boys and 113 girls) with an average age of 18.99 months (SD＝ 10.83). All data were reported by the caregivers (89.4% were by biological mothers and 10.6% by biological fathers). Findings The results showed that preschoolers' language ability, responsive parenting were positively associated with preschoolers' social and emotional competence. In addition, under certain conditions (i.e., when young children have improper or rebellious behaviors), punitive parenting was positively related to preschoolers' social and emotional competence. Furthermore, this style of punitive parenting played a moderating role in the association between preschoolers' language ability and their social and emotional competence. That is, preschoolers with poorer language ability had better social and emotional competence when their caregivers utilize punitive discipline to deal with their inappropriate behaviors. Originality/value Study on the functions and influences of parenting with negative features (e.g., behavioral punishment) needs to take into account of children's developmental stage and developmental characteristics.