Development of Children's Noncompliance Strategies From Toddlerhood to Age 5

Abstract

Noncompliance strategies for asserting autonomy were examined. Ss were 51 depressed and well mothers and their children, who were from 1 1 2 to 3 1 2 years old at Time 1 and 5 years old at Time 2. Data were coded from spontaneous interactions in a naturalistic setting. Compliance to maternal requests did not change from toddlerhood to age 5, and compliance showed stability over time. Age changes in noncompliant responses were interpreted in terms of children's growing autonomy and social skill. Direct defiance and passive noncompliance decreased with age, but simple refusal and negotiation increased with age. 5-year-olds who used skillful forms of resistance were more skillful when directing requests to mothers. Only unskillful noncompliance predicted later ratings of behavior problems. Sex differences and associations between discipline strategies and children's compliance are reported.