A transactional analysis of maternal negativity and child externalizing behavior

A transactional model was used to examine the reciprocal relationship between maternal negativity and child externalizing behavior over three time points. Data were collected from 1,479 children and their mothers every two years, as part of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY). Children were 10-11 years old at Time 1, 12-13 at Time 2, and 14-15 at Time 3. Measures of maternal negativity were obtained from both mothers and children, while measures of child externalizing behavior were obtained from children only. Structural Equation Modeling revealed that both members of the dyad influenced one another's behavior, with evidence of a recursive feedback loop over time. These influences were not equal (across persons) or stable (across time). Children's influence on the development of maternal negativity increased over time.