Child and Household Regulation: Influences on the Bidirectional Link between Harsh Parenting and Behavior Problems in Middle To Late Childhood

The current longitudinal study examined bidirectional links between harsh parenting (HP) and child externalizing behaviors (EXT) in middle childhood (ages 6–8, 55.7% female, 92% White), with self-regulation (effortful control, working memory, attention regulation) and household chaos as moderators. Data were collected from 174 families across three annual waves, using both maternal reports and observational assessments. Cross-lagged panel analyses revealed bidirectional effects based on observer-reported HP, while maternal reports showed only a child-driven effect (EXT → HP). Moderation analyses indicated that distinct aspects of child-regulation influenced these dynamics in nuanced ways. Effortful control unexpectedly amplified the parent-driven effect (HP → EXT), while working memory buffered the parent effect. Attention regulation strengthened the child-driven effect. Household chaos did not moderate these links. These findings underscore the dual role of self-regulation as both a risk and protective factor, depending on the context and regulatory domain. Results highlight the value of multimethod, multi-informant designs in understanding complex parent-child interactions and suggest that interventions promoting both supportive parenting and child regulatory skills may help mitigate behavioral difficulties during this key developmental stage.