Child-parent relationship

The relationship between the child and their parent(s) is a central feature of their

microsystem. Given the child’s rapid cognitive, social and linguistic development

between the ages of 9 months and 3 years, measures previously used with Cohort 08

at 3 years are likely to be more age appropriate for this topic than continuing

measures from Cohort 24 at 9 months.

The main sub-topics/measures that could be continued from Cohort 08 at age 3 are

(a) the ‘conflict’ and ‘positive aspects’ subscales from the Pianta child-parent

relationship; (b) a measure of parenting style, originally adapted from the

Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC); (c) a set of items on discipline

strategies; an individual question on how often the family has a meal together. The

scaled items (a and b) are described in more detail in the following paragraphs.

Parents may employ a range of discipline strategies with an individual child, but a key

consideration is the frequency with which they employ constructive strategies, such

as explaining why a behaviour was wrong, in contrast to punitive strategies such as

shouting. Discipline strategies could differ between parents so it would be preferable

to ask each person separately. The item on the family eating together could reflect

time spent with siblings, as well as parents, but is a potentially interesting indicator of

parental attitudes towards ‘quality time’ with the family. It could be asked just of the

primary caregiver/informant.

The parent survey for Cohort 24 at age 9 months included a set of items on the

parent’s bonding to the then-infant – which had no equivalent in the Cohort 08 at

age 3 survey. The items in the former came from a wave of the ALSPAC study. While

it would be useful to revisit the parent’s bonding to the child as a toddler, rather than

a baby, the items included at 9 months would need to be checked for suitability with

an older child.

Pianta child-parent relationship scale (Pianta, 1992)