Goal: We tested the hypothesis that parents' methods of resolving conflict between adults may be similar to methods of negotiating differences between themselves and their preschoolers.

Methods/Results: As part of a longitudinal study of prenatal cocaine exposure, we studied 98 urban mothers (86% African American, 11.7 yrs. mean education) prospectively from the birth of index child. 53% of the women did not use cocaine during pregnancy. When the children (53% male) were 48 months old, the women completed the Disciplinary Practice Scale (DPS, 8 questions on discipline, 1=never, 2=once/lifetime, 3=once/month, 4= once/wk, 5≥once/wk) and the Modified Conflict Tactics Scale (MCTS, 15 questions on methods to resolve adult conflict scaled 1=never, 2=once/twice, 3=often, 4=most of time). Table shows ranked results. We categorized mothers based on MCTS score as high (H= answered yes at least once to methods from push through kill) and low (L=all others) violence users. The mean DPS scores for H and L violence users were 25.7 and 21.5 respectively(p=0.001). A Pearson correlation coefficient of DPS and MCTS was 0.32(p=0.001).

Table 1
Full size table

Conclusion: Among urban mothers, a correlation exists between using violence to resolve interpersonal conflict and using or threatening to use physical methods to discipline 4 yr olds. Intervention to reduce interpersonal violence might have an effect in child rearing and discipline.