Shared knowledge about infants among fathers and mothers

Evidence for the exchange of parenting information between low-income White mothers and fathers of infants was found. Mothers had more accurate expectations for normative development than fathers, but more accurate fathers had spouses who were also more accurate--even when education was controlled. Though few significant differences were evident in help-seeking behavior when infant problems were encountered, fathers turned to fewer helpers than mothers and were somewhat more likely to rely solely on their spouse. These data indicate that researchers must consider the exchange of information between spouses, particularly when studying the socialization of parenting among fathers at this stage in the life cycle of the family.     

Multiple attachment relationships within families: mothers and fathers with two young children

Security of attachment between mothers and fathers and their 2 children was examined in 41 maritally intact families. Strange Situation assessments of attachment security for the younger children (mean age = 1 year 10 months), Attachment Q-sort ratings of the older children (mean age = 4 years 8 months), and ratings of parental caregiving behavior of both children were obtained. Younger and older children developed concordant attachments to both parents. Parents were consistent in their caregiving behavior toward their 2 children. However, parents were not congruent in their attachment to their 2 children. Associations were found between maternal caregiving and attachment only in the younger group. The results support the idea that parental caregiving behavior accounts for only modest portions of the variance in attachment security; evolving attachments integrate developmental inputs from the children and the caregivers in the network of early family relationships.     

Adolescents' relationships with their mothers and fathers: associations with depressive disorder and subdiagnostic symptomatology

Family relationships across 3 groups of adolescents were compared: (a) those with unipolar depressive disorders (n=82); (b) those with subdiagnostic depressive symptoms (n=78); and (c) those without emotional or behavioral difficulties (n=83). Results based on multisource, multimethod constructs indicated that depressed adolescents, as well as those with subdiagnostic symptomatology, experience less supportive and more conflictual relationships with each of their parents than do healthy adolescents. These findings are notable in demonstrating that adverse father-adolescent relationships are associated with depressive symptomatology in much the same way as mother-adolescent relationships. As well, the findings add to the emerging evidence that adolescents with subdiagnostic symptoms experience difficulties in social relationships similar to those experienced by adolescents with depressive disorder.     

Cesarean childbirth: Psychological implications for mothers and fathers

Home observations, ratings of interaction, and interviews were carried out in families with first-born 5-month-old infants. Comparisons were made between two groups of families differing as to whether the childbirth had been a Cesarean or vaginal delivery. Fathers whose babies had been born by Cesarean delivery reported greater involvement in child care and were rated as more responsive to infant distress. Both mothers and fathers tended to show less animation in interactions with their infants following a Cesarean delivery: mothers engaged less frequently in vigorous physical stimulation and showed less reciprocal positive affect with their infants, and fathers smiled less at their infants.     

Launching themes in Israeli fathers and mothers

This study focused on launching processes as reflected in the reactions of Israeli parents to the drafting of their eldest son. A questionnaire tapping parents' reactions was constructed and administered to 237 couples. Factor analysis delineated eight substantive factors: Emotional Investment, Parent-Child Strains, Fostering Son's Maturity, Parental Disengagement, Parent's Transitional Phase, Dissatisfaction with Army, Son's Unpreparedness, and Strengthening Family Relations. The factors depicted modes of coping with launching and transitional midlife processes. The construct validity of the factor scales was examined in a multivariate regression analysis with 12 predictor variables related to sociodemographics, attitudes, personal concerns, and satisfactions. Mothers differed from fathers in some factor scale means as well as in the pattern in which the predictor variables related to the factor scale scores. The results are interpreted in terms of ambivalent launching reactions involving distress on the one hand and a sense of growth on the other. While adaptation to this transition in the family takes place within a specific cultural context, its implications for universal launching features are also discussed.     

Mothers and fathers of young children: comparison of parenting styles

This study compared the developmental expectations and parenting behaviors of 52 mothers and fathers with children between the ages of 1 and 4 years, using the Parenting Inventory: Young Children. While both mothers and fathers were nurturing parents, mothers obtained significantly higher nurturing scores. Possible reasons for this difference were discussed. Developmental expectations and discipline strategies did not differ between mothers and fathers.     

Blind mothers of suffering babies

Abstract

In this paper, the author presents case material related to a patient who asked for psychotherapy as she was having difficulty managing her problems within the family. This clinical vignette reveals how some mothers have difficulties being, as Winnicott said, “ordinary devoted mothers.” These mothers are “psychologically blind,” in that they not able to psychologically “see” or feel the pain of their babies or children. The author discusses the case material using Winnicott and Bion’s essential concepts of how the patient is deprived of maternal functioning.     

Mothers and fathers,sons and daughters: Perceptions of young adults

Arguing that little is known about the ways in which mothers and fathers in intact households divide labor and influence children, a multifaceted questionnaire was devised to explore college students' perceptions of their parents. Mothers had greater responsibility for nurturance and fathers were clearer models of masculine personality traits but, in general, parents were much more similar than different. On 28 of the 43 comparisons between mothers and fathers there were no significant differences. There were, moreover, no main effects involving sex of child. Daughters and sons were treated in similar fashion. Overall, the data suggest that no nonbiological aspect of parenting is uniquely associated with either parent and that parents may not be the primary agents of differential sex-role socialization.I am indebted to my colleagues Elizabeth Allgeier and Tom Rywick. The former provided insightful and constructive criticism, the latter invaluable statistical help. I also wish to thank my student Robert Qulia for his research assistance.     

Relationships between parenting practices and perceptions of child behaviour among Korean immigrant mothers and fathers

This study examined parenting styles and culturally‐specific parenting practices of Korean immigrant mothers (N = 128) and fathers (N = 79) of children (ages 6–10) in New Zealand and the parenting predictors of child behaviour. Participants completed questionnaires on parenting styles and practices, and parental perceptions of child behaviour. Both parents indicated a high degree of devotion (Mo jeong) and involvement in care and education of their child with fathers were more likely than mothers to utilise shaming/love withdrawal and modesty encouragement. Results of regression analyses showed that there were some differences between mothers and fathers in the parenting predictors of child internalising and externalising behaviour problems and prosocial behaviour. Across the whole sample, there were contrasting relationships for authoritative parenting styles, devoted/involved parenting and modesty encouragement/shaming/non‐reasoning parenting practices with child behaviour problems. Results indicated a blend of Western and Korean parenting practices were being utilised after settling in New Zealand.     

Games fathers and mothers play with their infants

Both fathers and mothers successfully engaged their infants one to six months of age in interactive games in a laboratory play situation. Both parents played almost one game per minute with their infants. Mother played more conventional limb movement games and more distal, visual, attention maintaining games while fathers played more proximal, arousing, idiosyncratic limb movement games with their infants. Interactive games with parents even during the first six months of infancy provide differential experiences for the infant. These games may have developmental significance in selectively facilitating the acquisition of social and cognitive skills.     

Preschool children with externalizing behaviors: Experience of fathers and mothers

Childhood behavior disorders are related to family stress and maladjustment. Little is known, however, about the adjustment of families with preschool-aged children at risk for subsequent behavior disorders. Moreover, fathers' perceptions of child problem behavior and their reactions to it generally have been neglected. Subjects were mothers and fathers of 52 preschool-aged children assigned to one of three groups: control, moderate externalizing, and high externalizing. Higher child externalizing behavior was associated with greater negative family impact, lowered parenting sense of efficacy, and child-rearing practices that were more authoritarian and less authoritative. Mothers and fathers did not differ in actual perceived level of child behavior problems, although both believed that mothers saw more problems. Child Group × Parent interactions indicated that mothers experienced increased stress and a need for help with moderate as well as high child externalizing behaviors, whereas fathers were not elevated on these measures unless the child's externalizing behaviors were high. Implications of these findings for early family intervention are considered.This study is part of the Preschool Project, conducted at UCLA's Fernald Child Study Center, Co-PIs Bruce L. Baker and Barbara Henker. We appreciate the involvement of Barbara Henker, Erin Gallagher, Laurel Smith, and Terry Webster. We also appreciate the very helpful anonymous feedback from the two journal reviewers.     

Perceptions of breastfeeding in mothers of babies born preterm in comparison to mothers of full-term babies

The purpose of the present study was: a) to describe the theme of verbalizations about breastfeeding in mothers' pre-term (M-PT) and full-term (M-FT) infants; b) to examine the association between these themes and mother's anxiety and depression indicators and socio-demographic characteristics and, neonatal characteristics of the infants. The sample consisted of 50 M-PT and 25 M-FT. The mothers were assessed through State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory and were interviewed using a Guide focusing breastfeeding issues. The M-PT group had significantly more mothers with clinical symptom of anxiety than the M-FT group. The M-PT reported more uncertainties and worries about breastfeeding and figured out more obstacles for the successful breastfeeding than the M-FT. These reports were associated positively with the infants' risk neonatal status; lower birth-weight, higher neonatal clinical risk, and more length time stay in NICU were associated with more mothers' worries and seeing obstacles for breastfeeding. In conclusion, the strategies to enhance the breastfeeding rate in the preterm population have to take into account the mothers' psychological status and their ideas in addition to offering information about the advantages of breastfeeding for child development.     

Gender identity and family relationships: Perspectives from incestuous fathers

The purpose of this study was to understand how incestuous fathers constructed their gender identities and family relationships and to determine how these perceptions were linked to incest. Analysis of intensive interviews with 20 incest offenders suggested that incest occurred in context of entitlement stemming from masculine gender constructions and family experiences which lead to conflicts regarding control and intimacy and a build up of failure. Case illustrations and implications for clinical practice are addressed.     

Brain responses differ to faces of mothers and fathers

We encounter many faces each day but relatively few are personally familiar. Once faces are familiar, they evoke semantic and social information known about the person. Neuroimaging studies demonstrate differential brain activity to familiar and non-familiar faces; however, brain responses related to personally familiar faces have been more rarely studied. We examined brain activity with fMRI in adults in response to faces of their mothers and fathers compared to faces of celebrities and strangers. Overall, faces of mothers elicited more activity in core and extended brain regions associated with face processing, compared to fathers, celebrity or stranger faces. Fathers’ faces elicited activity in the caudate, a deep brain structure associated with feelings of love. These new findings of differential brain responses elicited by faces of mothers and fathers are consistent with psychological research on attachment, evident even during adulthood.     

Attentiveness of mothers and fathers to their baby's cries

Thirty-two mother-father-infant triads participated in a study to examine whether parents' responsiveness to their own infant's distress was affected by the infant's birth order and gender. After separating from their 10- to 11-month-old baby, one parent from each family (16 mothers and 16 fathers) was selected to hear cries that were attributed to the child. Consistent with previous findings regarding physiological reactions to crying and observations of caretaking behavior, first-time parents gave quicker and more frequent attention to their infants than did multiporous parents. Speedy intervention was related to the amount of caretaking responsibilities that parents reported they assumed and to the age at which parents believed that their infant first recognized them. The results demonstrate the importance of caretaking for promoting parental sensitivity to infant signals.     

Interdependence of parenting of mothers and fathers of infants

This study examined the relations among parenting behaviors of 97 coresident mothers and fathers of infants during a dyadic free-play setting. The authors examined the extent to which observed sensitive and intrusive parenting behaviors in mother-child and father-child dyads were related and how perceived marital quality may be associated with the similarity between maternal and paternal parenting behaviors. The authors found support for interdependence of parenting by mothers and fathers. High perceived marital quality was associated with interdependence of sensitive parenting behaviors in mother-infant and father-infant interactions. Negative parenting behaviors by mothers and fathers were interrelated regardless of marital quality. The findings highlight the importance of studying parenting by mothers and fathers as embedded within particular family systems.     

Temperamental precursors of infant attachment with mothers and fathers

The degree to which parent sensitivity and infant temperament distinguish attachment classification was examined. Multilevel modeling was used to assess the effect of parent sensitivity and infant temperament on infant–mother and infant–father attachment. Data were collected from mothers, fathers, and their infants (N = 135) when the infant was 3-, 5-, 7-, 12-, and 14-months old. Temperament was measured using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised ( Gartstein & Rothbart, 2003); parent sensitivity was coded during the Still Face Paradigm ( Tronick, Als, Adamson, Wise, & Brazelton, 1978); attachment was coded using the Strange Situation ( Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, & Wall, 1978). Results indicate that mothers and fathers were less sensitive with insecure-avoidant infants. Whereas only one difference was found for infant–mother attachment groups and temperament, five significant differences emerged for infant–father attachment groups, with the majority involving insecure-ambivalent attachment. Infants classified as ambivalent with fathers were higher in perceptual sensitivity and cuddliness and these infants also showed a greater increase in low-intensity pleasure over time compared with other infants. Results indicate the importance of both parent sensitivity and infant temperament, though operating in somewhat different ways, in the development of the infant–mother and infant–father attachment relationship.     

Social networks of family members: Distinctive roles of mothers and fathers

The personal social networks of fathers, mothers, and adolescent children in a sample of intact family triads were examined in order to explore the effect of sex role on parent-adolescent continuities in social orientations. Comparison of father-adolescent and mother-adolescent associations in characteristics of personal networks revealed, overall, that adolescents were more consonant with mothers than with fathers, particularly in the area of kinship relations. Fathers' distinctive associations with adolescents were in the area of friendship relations and concerned affective aspects of relationships. These patterns of association were not dependent on gender of adolescent. Findings are interpreted in terms of the documented role of mothers as “kinkeepers” in family affairs and in terms of emerging work suggesting the salience of interaction with fathers for children's development of sensitivity to affective cues.