Children’s Self-Blame for Mothers’ Sadness Predicts Lower Reparative Behaviors during Middle Childhood

In this longitudinal study, child-reported self-blame for mother’s sadness and parent ratings of children’s use of reparative behaviors were assessed during early and middle childhood. Higher self-blame predicted lower reparative behaviors during middle but not early childhood. Self-blame may impede mending relationships during middle childhood when moral emotions are prominent.