Trajectories of intrusive parenting during infancy and toddlerhood as predictors of rural, low-income African American boys' school-related outcomes

Teaching or learning from baby: Inducing explicit parenting goals influences caregiver intrusiveness

Caregivers' goals influence their interactions with their children. In this preregistered study, we examined whether directing parents to teach their baby versus learn from their baby influenced the extent to which they engaged in intrusive (e.g., controlling, adult-centered rather than child-centered), sensitive, warm, or cognitively stimulating caregiving behaviors. Mothers and their 6-month-old infants (N = 66; 32 female infants) from the San Francisco Bay Area participated in a 10-min "free-play" interaction, coded in 2-min epochs for degree of parental intrusiveness. Prior to the final epoch, mothers were randomly assigned to receive instructions to focus on (a) teaching something to their infant or (b) learning something from their infant. A control group of mothers received no instructions. Analyses of within-person changes in intrusive behavior from before to after receiving these instructions indicated that mothers assigned to teach their infant increased in intrusiveness whereas mothers assigned to learn from their infant and mothers in the control group did not significantly change in intrusiveness. The study provides experimental evidence that caregivers' explicit goals to teach infants result, on average, in more controlling and adult-centered caregiving behavior. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Intrusive social support among Black and White individuals with type 2 diabetes: A "Control issue" or a sign of "Concern and love"?

Family members and friends play an important supportive role in the management of chronic illnesses like diabetes, which often require substantial lifestyle changes. Some studies suggest that there may be racial differences in the kinds of support people receive, though little research has examined this idea within a chronic illness context. The current research takes a qualitative approach to examining similarities and differences between Black and White individuals with type 2 diabetes in the dimensions of support received from their family members, with a particular focus on better understanding more intrusive forms of support, such as unsolicited and overprotective support. Semi-structured interviews were conducted (N = 32) to characterize differences in support received by Black and White individuals with type 2 diabetes. The results of the thematic analysis suggested that unsolicited and overprotective support were not universally perceived to be negative, as previous work on White populations seemed to suggest. Rather, if the support provided was perceived as inhibiting autonomy, it was generally undesired by participants from both racial groups-however, for Black participants, knowing that the support was provided out of love could make it more acceptable. The analysis also revealed several underexplored dimensions of received support, including the directiveness of support and the tone used to deliver support. The current study provides an initial step towards grounding social support theory in the experiences of marginalized populations and will inform further development of a culturally sensitive measure of social support for individuals with chronic illness.

Stability of Parenting Profiles in Early Childhood for African American Children in Households Experiencing Poverty

Taking a person-centered approach, this study examined stability and change in profiles of parenting qualities observed at two times in early childhood in a sample of 146 mothers of African American children living in households experiencing poverty. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) of six qualities of parenting rated from mother-child interactions at ages 2.5 and 3.6 years revealed four distinct parenting profiles characterized as Child-Oriented, Moderately Child-Oriented, Harsh-Intrusive, and Withdrawn at each age. Profile membership was fairly stable, with 41% classified similarly at both times. Moderately Child-Oriented was the least stable, with 24% of this group similarly classified at Time 2; 49-52% of each of the other three groups were classified similarly the second time, indicating their greater stability. Changes from Harsh-Intrusive to Withdrawn profiles or vice versa were rare (n = 3). To further address profile stability, Time 2 profile posterior probabilities were predicted in multiple regression models from Time 1 parenting profiles, with the child-oriented profile as reference group, Time 2 child externalizing and internalizing behavior problems, and cumulative risk. Results indicated Time 2 Withdrawn and Harsh-Intrusive profiles were significantly associated with Time 1 membership in their analogous profile but not with other Time 1 profiles, providing further evidence for stability and distinctiveness of these profiles. Only the Moderately Child-Oriented profile was associated with greater cumulative risk at Time 2; it was not related to any of the other Time 1 profiles. In addition, Withdrawn profile membership at Time 2 was associated with greater child internalizing and fewer externalizing problems. The Time 2 Child-Oriented profile was associated with less probability of membership in withdrawn or harsh-intrusive profiles at Time 1.

What to Look for in Relationships: Development, inter-rater reliability, and initial validity estimates for a young child-caregiver relationship assessment

Introduction

Observational assessments are important for understanding a range of behaviors and emotions in the young child-caregiver relationship. This paper provides initial data on a multidimensional assessment for professionals who work with young children and their caregivers, the What to Look for in Relationships (WLR). The WLR was designed to assist providers in evaluating strengths and areas for improvement in five areas of young child-caregiver relationship dimensions. This paper reports on the development, interrater reliability, initial convergent and discriminant validity, and incremental utility of the scales.

Methods

Data were collected from caregiver-child dyads, who participated in a semi-structured observational caregiver-child interaction session as part of a clinic evaluation for relationship-based therapeutic services for young children in child protection. Recorded interactions were coded using the WLR scales with 146 interactions coded by at least two independent observers for interrater reliability analyses.

Results

The scales showed adequate internal consistency, good inter-rater reliability, strong convergent associations with a single dimension measure (i.e., the Parent-Infant Relationship Global Assessment Scale; PIR-GAS) and discriminated those in the clinical range from those with adaptive functioning on the PIR-GAS.

Discussion

This study provides initial support for the usefulness of the WLR scales for assessing dimensions of caregiver-child relationships during early childhood that may be useful targets of intervention.

Non-Intrusive Maternal Style as a Mediator between Playfulness and Children’s Development for Low-Income Chilean Adolescent Mothers

The aim of this study was to describe the relationship between low-income Chilean adolescent maternal playfulness and mothers’ non-intrusiveness in their children’s development and to analyze whether a mother’s non-intrusiveness mediates the relationship between maternal playfulness and children’s development. The Parental Playfulness Scale and the Subscale of Intrusiveness from the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project were used to assess maternal playfulness and mothers’ non-intrusiveness respectively. Ages and Stages Questionnaire 3rd Edition (ASQ-3) was applied to measure the children’s communication, gross and fine motor skills, problem-solving and personal–social development. The sample consisted of 79 mother–child dyads with children aged 10–24 months (M = 15.5, SD = 4.2) and their mothers aged 15–21 years old (M = 19.1, SD = 1.7). A bivariate analysis showed that maternal playfulness was significantly associated with communication, fine motor, problem-solving and personal–social development. Moreover, higher levels of communication, fine motor skills and problem-solving development were observed in the children of less intrusive mothers. Maternal playfulness had a significant effect on children’s development of language, problem-solving and personal–social skills when their mothers showed less intrusiveness during interaction. These findings contribute to the understanding of the interaction between adolescent mothers and their children. Active play and less intrusiveness can enhance child development.

Parenting and parenting resources among Chinese parents with children under three years of age: rural and urban differences

BACKGROUND

Parenting is essential for children's development and preventing child abuse and neglect. Providing parenting services within the primary health care settings demonstrated effectiveness in improving parenting quality. However, little is known about the status of parenting and parenting resources in rural areas and whether they differ between rural and urban areas in Mainland China.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine the rural-urban differences in parenting and availability of, utilization of, and need for parenting resources among Chinese parents with children under three years of age.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

A total of 425 parents of children under three years of age participated in an online survey between March and May 2020.

METHODS

The Parenting and Family Adjustment Scale and Child Adjustment and Parenting Efficacy Scale were used to assess parenting, family adjustment, and parenting efficacy. The availability of, utilization of, and need for parenting resources were measured using self-developed questions based on literature. Chi-square tests, t tests, and Wilcoxon rank-sum test were used to examine the differences in responses between parents in rural and urban areas.

RESULTS

Compared with their urban counterparts, rural parents reported a higher level of negative parenting and more limited parenting resources. Both rural and urban parents reported low availability and utilization of parenting resources as well as a great need for parenting support services.

CONCLUSIONS

Rural parents faced more parenting challenges and limited parenting resources compared with urban parents. Both rural and urban parents with children under three years of age reported great needs for parenting resources. These findings highlight the potential of delivering accessible, sustainable, and cost-effective parenting programs via the primary health care system for public welfare in both urban and rural areas, with more attention paid to rural parents to help them improve their parenting.

Preliminary longitudinal evidence for stability of maternal behavior and infant stress regulation among infants born preterm at 4 and 9 months during the Still Face paradigm

Stress regulation begins to develop in the first year of life through interactions with caregivers, particularly in the presence of stressors. High quality caregiving, characterized by maternal sensitivity and responsiveness to the infant's emotional cues, is particularly important in the development of infant stress regulation. The purpose of this study was to assess the longitudinal stability of, and associations between, maternal interactive behavior and infant stress regulation (indexed by positive infant affect and cortisol reactivity) in response to the Still Face paradigm (SF) in a cohort of infants born preterm (< 32 weeks gestation, N = 22) at four months and nine months (adjusted age). The percent of time mothers spent using specific interaction styles (contingent maternal interaction (CMI), attention seeking, and watching) during Play/baseline, Reunion#1, and Reunion#2 SF episodes was calculated To assess infant stress regulation, two indices were obtained at both 4 and 9 months during the SF paradigm: the percent of positive affect displayed over each SF episode (0-100%) and a neuroendocrine stress response score based on salivary cortisol reactivity. We found three non-significant but medium-large effect size differences between 4 and 9 month variables, with more positive findings at 9 months. Regarding stability within the 4 month and 9 month episodes, maternal behavior and positive infant affect were non-significantly but moderately stable, with maternal watching behavior being particularly stable. Positive infant affect stability between Reunion#1 and Reunion#2 at 4 months was significantly greater than positive infant affect stability across these two episodes at 9 months. Regarding stability across 4 and 9 month (same) episodes, CMI and positive infant affect showed modest but non-significant stability across (same) 4 and 9 month episodes. Finally, with positive infant affect at Reunion#2 as the "outcome" of the Still Face, CMI at both 4 month Play and Reunion#1 episodes were significantly correlated with this "outcome." Further, positive infant affect at Reunion#2 was more strongly correlated with CMI at both Play and Reunion#1 for 4 month old compared with 9 month old infants. Thus, sensitive care appears particularly important for younger infants born preterm, and mothers' behavior early in a repeated stress exposure paradigm may be particularly important in maintaining positive infant affect and in the development of infants' stress regulation more generally. Identifying the longer-term effects of early stress on infant stress regulation, and its relationship with maternal interaction, has important implications for understanding trajectories of regulatory patterns and deficits. A greater understanding of these relationships is particularly important given that greater emotion and neuroendocrine stress regulation in infancy have been directly associated with numerous positive outcomes throughout childhood.

Understanding the Role of Parental Control in Early Childhood in the Context of U.S. Latino Families in the 21st Century

This review focuses on the role of parental control in the sociocultural context of U.S. Latino families with young children in the 21st century. The review begins with a historical overview of the concept of parental control and a summary of theoretical approaches to the study of parenting in context. Associations between different forms of parental control and children’s adjustment are summarized, with special attention to cultural considerations and the role of maternal warmth in research involving Latino families. Variability and inconsistencies within the literature on parental control within this population are discussed. The review concludes by discussing future directions for research on this topic, and implications of this literature to move the field toward a better understanding of parenting behaviors and its effects on child functioning in families from different ethnic backgrounds in the 21st century.

The association of infant temperament and maternal sensitivity in preterm and full-term infants

Infants who experience sensitive caregiving are at lower risk for numerous adverse outcomes. This is especially true for infants born preterm, leading them to be more susceptible to risks associated with poorer quality caregiving. Some research suggests that preterm and full-term infants differ on temperament, which may contribute to these findings. This study aimed to investigate associations between infant temperament (negative emotionality, positive affectivity/surgency, and orienting/regulatory capacity) and maternal sensitivity among infants born preterm (M = 30.2 weeks) and full term. It was hypothesized that mothers of infants born preterm and mothers of infants with more difficult temperaments would display lower sensitivity, indicated by lower responsiveness to nondistress, lower positive regard, and higher intrusiveness. Videotaped play interactions and a measure of temperament (Infant Behavior Questionnaire) were coded for 18 preterm and 44 full-term infants at 9 months (corrected) age. Results suggest that mothers of preterm and full-term infants differed significantly in responding to their infants, but these results cannot be explained by infant temperament. Preterm status and sociodemographic risk emerged as correlates of maternal behavior, such that mothers of infants born preterm and mothers with greater sociodemographic risk displayed lower levels of maternal sensitivity.

Advancing Research and Measurement on Fathering and Child Development

Fathers are more than social accidents. Research has demonstrated that fathers matter to children's development. Despite noted progress, challenges remain on how best to conceptualize and assess fathering and father-child relationships. The current monograph is the result of an SRCD-sponsored meeting of fatherhood scholars brought together to discuss these challenges and make recommendations for best practices for incorporating fathers in studies on parenting and children's development. The first aim of this monograph was to provide a brief update on the current state of research on fathering and to lay out a developmental ecological systems perspective as a conceptual framework for understanding the different spaces fathers inhabit in their children's lives. Because there is wide variability in fathers' roles, the ecological systems perspective situates fathers, mothers, children, and other caregivers within an evolving network of interrelated social relationships in which children and their parents change over time and space (e.g., residence). The second aim was to present examples of empirical studies conducted by members of the international working group that highlighted different methods, data collection, and statistical analyses used to capture the variability in father-child relationships. The monograph ends with a commentary that elaborates on the ecological systems framework with a discussion of the broader macrosystem and social-contextual influences that impinge on fathers and their children. The collection of articles contributes to research on father-child relationships by advancing theory and presenting varied methods and analysis strategies that assist in understanding the father-child relationship and its impact on child development.

Parenting Behaviors as Predictive of Early Student-Teacher Relationships in ASD

Student-teacher relationship (STR) quality during the early school years has important implications for student adjustment and outcomes. Studies with typically developing (TD) children have identified links between parent behaviors and STRs, but these connections remain unexplored for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present study investigated relationships between observed parent behaviors during a shared literacy task and STRs one year later for 117 children (ages 4-7) with ASD. Children whose parents displayed more intrusiveness had poorer-quality STRs. Further, parent intrusiveness mediated the predictive relationship between child spoken language skills and STR quality. These results suggest that parent intrusiveness plays an important role in the development of STRs for young children with ASD. Implications for intervention and research are discussed.

Nurses' perception of the multidisciplinary team approach of care for adolescent mothers and their children in Ugu, KwaZulu-Natal

BACKGROUND

Adolescent childbearing has numerous consequences on maternal health, child health and the well-being of society. Because of the high-risk nature of adolescent pregnancy, a multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach is recommended to achieve satisfactory pregnancy outcomes.

AIM

The aim of this study was to explore nurses' perceptions of the MDT approach in the continuum of care for adolescent mothers and their children.

SETTING

The study was conducted in a local district hospital in Ugu, KwaZulu-Natal.

METHODS

An explorative and descriptive qualitative study design was used. The first author and hospital staff (clinical midwives and the clinical manager of obstetrics and gynaecology) collaborated on the development of the focus group discussion (FGD) guide to explore nurses' perception of the MDT approach of care for adolescent mothers and their children. A total of three FGDs were conducted. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Six overarching themes emerged from the data analysis which included professional benefits of adopting the MDT approach of care for adolescent mothers and their children, barriers to the multidisciplinary collaboration, clinical benefits of adopting the MDT approach of care for parenting adolescent mothers, problems and needs of adolescent mothers, and nurses' reasons regarding their willingness to participate in a multidisciplinary collaboration in the care of parenting adolescent mothers.

CONCLUSION

In the opinion of nurses, the MDT approach of care for adolescent mothers and their children is an important strategy to improve maternal and child health outcomes. This study has important implications for the design of an intervention.

Chapter VI: Longitudinal Contributions of Maternal and Paternal Intrusive Behaviors to Children's Sociability and Sustained Attention at Prekindergarten

We examined the association between U.S.-born mothers' and fathers' intrusiveness at 24 months and children's sociability and sustained attention at prekindergarten in a sample of low-income, ethnic minority children (N = 74) enrolled in Early Head Start in the U.S. Event-based coding captured the frequency and intensity of parents' intrusive episodes with their children as well as the contingent affect of parents and children during each episode. Fathers and mothers did not differ in frequency of intrusive episodes; fathers were more intensely intrusive but exhibited more positive affect during intrusive episodes than mothers. Children exhibited more positive affect during intrusive exchanges with their fathers than with their mothers. Positive mother-child dyadic affect but not intrusive behaviors at 24 months were not related to sociability and sustained attention in prekindergarten. Moreover, positive mother-child dyadic affect buffered children from the negative effects of maternal intrusive behaviors on sociability.

Maternal Attributions of Infant Behavior and Parenting in Toddlerhood Predict Teacher-Rated Internalizing Problems in Childhood

Social-information-processing theories of parenting posit that parents' beliefs and attributions about their children's behaviors contribute to how parents interact with their children. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between negative parenting attributions in infancy, harsh-intrusive parenting in toddlerhood, and children's internalizing problems (IPs) in early childhood. Using data from a diverse longitudinal study (n = 206), the current study used a structural equation modeling approach to test if mothers' negative attributions measured at 6 months predicted teacher ratings of children's IPs in 1st grade, as well as the extent to which observed harsh-intrusive parenting behaviors measured at ages 1, 2, and 3 years mediated this link. Maternal negative attributions in infancy predict more IPs in 1st grade, but this link becomes nonsignificant when observed harsh-intrusive parenting is included as a mediator. A significant indirect effect suggests that harsh-intrusive parenting mediates the association between early negative attributions and eventual IPs. Findings from this study identify harsh-intrusive parenting behaviors as one potential mechanism through which the effects of early attributions are carried forward to influence children's IPs. The developmental and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Ethnic differences in mothering qualities and relations to academic achievement

Although qualities of mothering behavior have been consistently linked with children's academic outcomes, mothers from different ethnic groups may emphasize different dimensions with their children. The present investigation aims to evaluate and compare the dimensionality of mothering in low-income African American (n = 151) and Mexican American (n = 182) mothers during early childhood and its predictive utility for children's academic achievement. Video-recorded mother-child interactions with children at 2½ and 3½ years of age were rated using 6 mothering quality items from a widely used global rating system. A bifactor measurement model of these 6 items yielded a general sensitive support factor and a specific intrusive-insensitive factor. The bifactor model fit the data significantly better at both time points than either a single-factor or a 2-factor model. Invariance testing supported the stability of the measurement model across the 2 time points. Invariance testing by ethnicity indicated differences in factor loadings as well as mean levels of the specific factor of intrusive-insensitivity. The specific factor reflecting intrusive-insensitive mothering at age 2½ years was associated with poorer subsequent reading achievement for African American but not Mexican American children, suggesting the specific factor reflected qualitatively different parenting constructs for the 2 ethnic groups. Critical examination of what constitutes more optimal parenting yielded both similar and dissimilar characteristics and their relations across culturally different groups of families. Such knowledge should contribute to the development of more effective interventions for ethnically diverse families. (PsycINFO Database Record