Unpredictability in caregiver-child relationships: Impact on child verbal abilities and externalizing problems.

ABSTRACT: This study examined longitudinal associations between caregiver-child dyadic unpredictability, children's verbal abilities, and externalizing problems, and the moderating role of temperamental surgency. Participants were 235 families with young children (M_age = 2.97 years, SD = 0.38, range = [2-4], 55.3% female, ethnicity: 55.2% White, 21.3% African American, 16.2% mixed race). Mother-child dyadic unpredictability measured at Wave 1 was linked to lower verbal development over Waves 1 and 2, which was associated with greater increases in externalizing problems over Waves 1 and 3. These effects were particularly salient for children with high surgency. In contrast, father-child dyadic unpredictability was linked to greater verbal ability for children with low tempera

SUBMITTER: Li Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12754837 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature