Predicting Emotional and Social Competence During Early Childhood From Toddler Risk and Maternal Behavior

Observational and survey data were used to explore the interactions between maternal parenting behavior and toddler risk (i.e., externalizing behaviors such as aggression and destructive behavior and poor emotion regulation) as predictors of individual differences in children's emotional and social competence during the transition to kindergarten. Results indicate that both child factors and maternal parenting behaviors influenced toddlers risk for emotional and social issues.