The present study aimed to examine Turkish mothers’ reactive parenting beliefs (reactive emotional appraisals, causal attributions, anticipated strategies, and underlying goals for their anticipated strategies) in response to children’s aggressive and socially withdrawn behaviors. Participants included 84 mothers with preschool-aged children residing in Ankara, Turkey. Supporting our expectations, the results showed that the degree of mothers’ negative emotional responses varied based on the child maladaptive behaviors. Moreover, mothers perceived aggressive behaviors as more temporary and contextually dependent, but intentional than withdrawn behaviors. More directive strategies and parent-centered goals were reported for aggression, whereas more indirect strategies and emphatic goals were reported for social withdrawal. Overall, the present study provided evidence that Turkish mothers’ perceptions and evaluations of maladaptive behaviors may have universal characteristics as well as aspects that are particular to the Turkish socio-cultural context.
