THE LINK BETWEEN NEGATIVE PARENTING AND LIE-TELLING BEHAVIOUR IN SINGAPOREAN CHILDREN

Abstract

Lying is a common behaviour that is a part of children’s typical developmental trajectory, and previous studies have shown that negative parenting can be a significant contributor to children’s deceptive behaviour. However, research on this topic of interest has been limited and mixed in findings. As such, this thesis aims to contribute to the current literature by examining whether children’s self-regulation and dissatisfaction play a mediating role in the relationship between negative parenting and children’ lie-telling behaviour. A total of 119 children (2.5 to 4-year-olds) and their parents were recruited for this study. Children’s lie-telling behaviour was assessed by whether they denied their transgression during a modified version of the Temptation Resistance Paradigm (TRP). Children’s self-regulatory abilities and dissatisfaction were measured through a game of Simon Says and the Etch-A-Sketch task. Negative parental control was assessed using the Parent-Child Interaction System (PARCHISY) of dyadic interactions between parent and child during the Etch-A-Sketch task. Lastly, authoritarian parenting and parental punishment style was measured through the Parenting Style and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ) and Child Punishment Questionnaire (CPQ), respectively. Whilst binary logistic regression analyses revealed a positive relationship between negative parenting on children’s lie-telling behaviour, it was not found to be significant. Mediation analyses did not find significant mediating effects of self-regulation and child dissatisfaction on negative parental control and children’s lie-telling behaviour. Overall, the findings from this study provides a theoretical basis in understanding the relationship between negative parental control on children’s lie-telling behaviour in Singapore.