This thesis is an investigation of rules which are historically conceptualized as static and unidirectional constructs strictly enforced by parents. This behavioural perspective is focused on parents as active agents and children immediately obey parental requests (Patterson, 1982). In contrast, a developmental perspective was used in this study in which rules are flexible and coconstructed by parents and children (Parkin & Kuczynski, 2012). Forty families participated in open-ended interviews; each family had one child between the ages of eight and thirteen. A thematic analysis was conducted and results suggested that rules were constructed by a bidirectional process in which parents and children were active agents. Parents most commonly perceived the rules to be flexible, coregulated and inherent - few parents described firm and explicit rules. Rules were developed by negotiation, based on the child’s development and by accommodating external influences. Leeway was an inherent, expected component of parent-child interactions

Children's difficulties with regulating or controlling emotion are associated with externalizing problems (Eisenberg et al., 2001). Emotion regulation develops through interactions with caregivers during childhood, where children are socialized about the management and expression of emotions (Kopp, 1989). The parent-child relationship is thus one factor associated with children's externalizing problems and, to date, research on children’s externalizing problems has focused on relationships with parental emotion socialization and parent-child emotions (Granic & Lamey, 2002; Lengua, 2006). However, parent-child co-regulation— the bidirectional process whereby individuals mutually regulate emotions with others (Fogel, 1993)— is also likely a proximal factor in children's externalizing problems. Over time, dyadic patterns emerge and are reinforced through co-regulation, and children develop regulated or dysregulated emotional patterns with their parents (Granic & Lamey, 2002). Co-regulation is also likely related to differences in externalizing symptomatologies, as dyads with children with co-occurring externalizing and internalizing problems (MIXED) show more mutual hostility over the course of a conflict than dyads with purely externalizing children (EXT; Granic & Lamey, 2002). The current study examined co-regulation in 255 parent-child dyads, of which 80 had EXT children (73% male), 111 had MIXED children (87% male), and 64 had typically-developing children (63% male). Children were between the ages of 8 and 12 (M = 9.56). Behaviours during positive and conflict discussions were coded with a new observational tool, the Co-Regulation of Emotion (CORE) coding system. CORE's validity was supported with associations with independent raters’ impressions of the interactions. Generally, co-regulation was higher during the conflict as compared to the positive discussions, as expected. Contrary to hypotheses, dyads with EXT and MIXED children did not show more non-supportive co-regulation than dyads with typically-developing children, and dyads with typically-developing children did not show more supportive co-regulation. Similarly, group differences on the association between interaction partners' supportive and non-supportive co-regulation and negative affect were not significant. Overall, MIXED dyads did not show more non-supportive co-regulation than EXT dyads, as had been expected. The findings did not support the hypothesis that emotion co-regulation differentiates dyads with externalizing children from dyads with typically-developing children in middle childhood. / Thesis (Master, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2012-08-07 11:41:10.329

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Given the proliferation of new-generation internet capable devices in our society, they are now commonly used for a variety of purposes and by a variety of ages, including young children. The vast amount of new media content, available through these devices, cause parents to worry about what their children have access to. In this thesis we investigated how parents and children can work together towards the goal of content control and filtering. One problem to the current content control filtering tools and approaches is that they do not involve children in the filtering process, thus missing an opportunity of educating children about content appropriateness. Therefore, we propose a kid-in-the-loop approach to content control and filtering where parents and children collaboratively configure restrictions and filters, an approach that focuses on education rather than simple rule setting. We conducted an exploratory qualitative study with results highlighting the importance that parents place on avoiding inappropriate content. Building on these findings, we designed an initial kid-in-the-loop prototype which allows parents to work with their children to select appropriate applications, providing parents with the opportunity to educate their children on what they consider to be appropriate or inappropriate. We further validate our proposed approach by conducting a qualitative study with sets of parents and children in the six to eight year-old age group, which revealed an overwhelmingly favorable response to this approach. We conclude this thesis with a comprehensive analysis of our approach, which can be leveraged in designing content control systems targeting both parents and children.

A six week parent-child shared reading intervention targeting children's emergent literacy and emotion knowledge was implemented for 33 Head Start home-based families. This pilot study tested the hypothesis that the nominal addition of social emotional components to an evidenced-based shared reading intervention (dialogic reading) would result in additive effects in regards to parent and child outcomes. The study utilized a pre-post test design involving random assignment of families to one of two treatment groups. Both groups received the standard dialogic reading intervention, while parents in the DR ES (dialogic reading plus emotion skills) received an additional nominal dose of training in how to be nurturing towards their child during reading and how to use the story as a catalyst to talking about emotions. Differential effects between the two interventions were not found. Specifically, no clinically significant group effects were found for children's print concepts knowledge and emotion knowledge (emotion labeling and perspective taking) at post-test. Similarly, no effects emerged for parents' reading related behaviors, namely, application of verbal prompts, and displayed warmth. Effect sizes, as measured by eta squared, were also consistently low for all dependent measures, ranging from .00 for children's perspective taking and parents' displayed warmth to .03 for parent verbal prompts. Significant time effects emerged for all outcome variables with the exception of parent warmth, with effect sizes ranging from d = 0.31 (parent warmth) to d = 1.31 (parents' dialogic reading prompts), with an average effect size of d = 0.61. This study is the first to explore the potential impact of combining emotional content into the dialogic reading intervention. It refocuses attention on the contexts that promote children's school readiness skills. Results suggest that the potential benefits of dialogic reading extend beyond parent and children reading related skills, and may include children's emotional development. Findings warrant further investigation of interventions that support parents in maximizing the benefits of shared reading.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Texas, May, 2007. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis(M.S.)--Auburn University, 2006. / Abstract. Includes bibliographic references.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Auburn University, 2007. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographic references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1994. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [80]-85).