Child versus parent reports of parenting practices: implications for the conceptualization of child behavioral and emotional problems

This study examined parent and child reports of parenting practices separately to predict child and parent reports of child externalizing and internalizing features, as well as delinquent activity. Participants included 98 children (51 male, 47 female) from a community sample, aged 9-15 at the beginning of the study. Results revealed that child reports of parenting practices were significantly correlated with a greater number of indices of delinquency and conduct problems than were parent reports. Child reports of parenting also showed some association with delinquency at three yearly follow-ups, whereas parent reports did not. Finally, reports of negative parenting from both informants were concurrently related to internalizing characteristics. Implications for child assessment and planning interventions for children and parents are discussed.