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Title
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Latino mother -child dyads: Attachment, psychosocial factors, mother's perception of the child's temperament, and quality of dyadic competence.
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Identifier
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AAI9986304
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identifier
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9986304
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Creator
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Bejarano, Anabel.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Vera S. Paster
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Date
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2000
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Social | Sociology, Individual and Family Studies | Sociology, Ethnic and Racial Studies
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Abstract
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This study analyzed the mother-child relationship within a non-clinical sample of low socioeconomic status, Dominican and Puerto Rican mother-child dyads. The study examined the effects of stress, social support, maternal perception of the child's temperament, and attachment behaviors on dyadic competence for 23 dyads. Variables assessed shortly following the child's birth during the perinatal period, and at the child's age of 12 and 18 months, were used as predictors of dyadic competence in mother-child interaction during a free-play episode observed at the child's age of 18 months.;The methodology included nonstandard, semi-structured stress and social support scales developed for a prior study on multi-risk mothers (Fiks, Johnson and Rosen, 1985). The stress scale measured the reported level of stress experienced in the areas of finances, living arrangements, children, family and friends. The size of the social support network was based on the number of individuals counted on by the mother, and available to help with financial, personal, and health/medical problems. The mothers' perception of her child's temperament was based on questions regarding the consistency of the child's eating and sleeping habits, activities enjoyed by the child, the degree of fussiness and ease of comforting the child. Attachment behaviors (proximity- and contact-seeking, contact-maintaining, resistant, and avoidant behavior) and the amount of crying were assessed during two reunion episodes of a modified Strange Situation procedure at 12 months based on a 7-point dimensional rating scale (Ainsworth, Bell, Waters, and Wall, 1978). At the child's age of 18 months, the degree of mutual competence in dyadic interaction was measured by the Parent-Child Observation Guide (Bernstein, Percansky, and Hans, 1987). This scale is based on Goldberg's (1977) concept of mutual competence and rates behaviors of the mother and child that support or encourage mastery of developmental tasks.;Maternal perception of the child as fussing alot at 18 months was highly predictive of less effective maternal competence in a free play situation. This dynamic relationship was stronger than that between maternal competence and stress, social support and attachment behaviors assessed at 12 and 18 months. However, stress from living arrangements and problems with friends and family during the perinatal period were predictive of maternal competence. The relationship between social support, rates of proximity seeking and contact maintenance behaviors and maternal competence failed to yield significant results.;Although the mother and child's rates of competence were not concordant, it was found that mothers who had accurate expectations of the child for the child's age, who treated the child with respect, who helped the child stay interested in a toy or activity, and remained patient with the child had higher rates of maternal competence. For the child, rates of competence were most correlated with their ability to invite an interaction or play activity with the mother, and noticing their mothers smiling at them in several situations. In addition, high rates of proximity seeking behavior during the first reunion episode was a strong predictor of the child's competence.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
