Some aspects of developmentally (non-) stimulating interactions of parents with preschool children – implications of basic determinants of parental behaviour

Dženeta Camović

Summary:  In everyday life, children encounter different parental behaviours, both stimulating and non-stimulating. At an early age, parental encouragement and supportive behaviours are crucial for children’s cognitive and socio-emotional development, and their absence, neglect or undesirable attitudes towards the children have negative consequences. The aim of this research was to gain insight into certain aspects of the interactions between parents and preschool children (4–6 years), in relation to some basic determinants of parental behaviour. The research covered selected forms of stimulating parental behaviours (reading with children, playing together, singing rhymes, etc.) as well as non-stimulating ones (yelling at and hitting the child). The results show that there was a statistically significant difference in the practice of (non-) stimulating interactions between parents and children based on the gender of the parent and certain contextual factors. Parents with lower levels of education, with lower socio-economic status and from suburban areas were less engaged in stimulating activities with their children (reading to children, drawing with children, singing rhymes, playing with letters and numbers, etc.) that contribute to the development of graphomotor, cognitive and socio-emotional skills.