Close parental bond linked to child's behaviour

11 Feb 2008

Infants who develop close relationships with their parents early in life are more likely to regulate their own behaviour by school age, new research suggests.

A study conducted at the University of Iowa found that children who had formed a "close, positive, reciprocal, and mutually responsive relationship" with their mothers in the first two years after birth displayed more patience, restraint and maturity than those who hadn't.

Four-year-olds with close parental bonds reacted to their mother's orders not to do something more than children without such ties.

Head of the research, Grazyna Kochanska, Stuit professor of developmental psychology at the University of Iowa, commented: "Most parents know that when they interact with their infant and young toddler, they are laying important foundations for the child's future development.

"Now we have a better understanding of what that really means. Your investment in building a mutually responsive, positive, close relationship early on will generate considerable payoff several years later."

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