This study investigated the relationship between maternal upbringing and externalizing behavior problems in childhood. Participants in the study included 64 mother-child dyads recruited from public (68.8%) and private (31.3%) schools in Salvador, in the Brazilian state of Bahia, via a convenience sampling method and through referral by other participants. The data were collected during home visits or in school. Mothers completed a socio-demographic data form, underwent a structured interview about the practice of maternal upbringing and the Child Behavior Checklist 4-18. A multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the model that included mother's schooling, family income, negotiation and corporal punishment as predictor variables of externalizing behavior problems, accounted for 15.8% of the variance in externalizing behavior problems. The impact of corporal punishment on the development of externalizing behaviors and the predictive power of the level of instruction and family income in relation to the child's upbringing, are discussed.
Maternal childrearing practices; Externalizing behavior problems; Physical punishment
