Relationship between maternal personality dimensions with girls externalizing and internalizing disorders

Studies have showed that personality traits of mother have important role in externalizing disorders (ED) and internalizing disorders (ID) of girls. The objective of this study was predicting of ED and ID on the basis of mother’s personality traits including neuroticism، psychoticism، and extraversion. One hundred and eight normal girl students، ranging from 11 to 16 years old and their mothers participated in this study. Mothers answered to Child Symptoms Inventory (csi-4) on the basis of their girls symptoms، and also to Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) on the basis of own personality characteristics. Analysis showed that mother’s neuroticism is predictor of ED and ID in girls. Beta coefficient of neuroticism for predicting ED was lesser than that for predicting ID IN girls. Psychoticism and extraversion weren’t predictors of ED and ID. In summary the data suggest that girls who their mother have increased level of neuroticism are at risk for ED and ID.