Maternal Socialization of Children's Preventive Health Behavior: The Role of Maternal Affect and Teaching Strategies.

Abstract

Relations among maternal beliefs about child development, maternal affect, and teaching behavior during health socialization, and children’s healthy and safe behavior were examined. Kindergarten and 1st-grade children and their mothers participated in either a health-related or a “making friends” interaction task. Children’s competence in the two domains was independently reported by their teachers. Mothers’ beliefs about the importance of teaching and exploration were related to maternal positive affect and direct instruction during health socialization. Furthermore, mothers’ positive affect and use of control and direct teaching during health socialization predicted children’s health and safety competence. Alternatively, nondirective teaching was related to children’s “friend-making” competence. This suggests that maternal socialization of children’s health may be unique, in comparison to other socialization domains.