Parenting Quality and Mathematics Performance in Early Childhood: Using an Adoption Design to Disentangle Genetic and Environmental

Early mathematics knowledge is predictive of later mathematical abilities. Supportive parenting behaviors (e.g., maternal warmth) have been associated with children’s math performance, although few studies have examined... [ view full abstract ]

Early mathematics knowledge is predictive of later mathematical abilities. Supportive parenting behaviors (e.g., maternal warmth) have been associated with children’s math performance, although few studies have examined these associations using genetically-informed designs. Here, we used data from Cohort I of the Early Growth and Development Study, a parent-offspring adoption sample (N = 361), to examine the potential moderation of adoptive parent (AP) supportive parenting (e.g., positive reinforcement) and hostile parenting on associations between birth parent (BP) math performance and child math performance during middle childhood. BP and child math performance (at age 7) was assessed using the mathematics fluency measure of the Woodcock-Johnson III Achievement Test. APs reported on their supportive parenting using the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire and hostile parenting using the IOWA Family Interaction Rating Scales at child age 4 ½ years. Preliminary findings indicate direct effects of BP math fluency on child math fluency, but no direct effects of AP support and hostility on child math fluency. We found significant moderation of adoptive mothers’ supportive parenting (β = .23, t = 3.53, p < .01) and hostility (β = -.18, t = -2.54, p = .01) on child math fluency. Simple slope analyses reveal that in cases where the adopted child experienced high levels (but not low) of support, high BP math fluency (heritable influences) was related to high child math performance, (β = .46, t = 4.63, p < .001). Similarly, for children who experienced lower levels of maternal hostility (but not high), high BP math fluency was related to high child math performance (β = .37, t = 3.65, p < .001). These findings suggest that heritable influences on children’s mathematics performance emerge when the child’s rearing environment provides heightened maternal support.