The valences of infant temperamental characteristics and their relation to parenting stress
Year: 1994
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The purpose of the present study was to investigate mother-rated infant temperamental characteristics and their relation to parenting stress.Fifty-two mothers of children less than 13 months old were asked to complete a series of questionnaires: a parent-rated infant temperament measure; a measure of mothers' perceptions of infants' behaviours; and a parenting stress inventory.Mothers also recorded infant crying and night waking behaviour on an infant behaviour diary for 5 days.Results indicate that maternal experience with children did not affect their ratings of infant temperament.Mothers considered behaviours that theorists consider as indicators of "difficult" temperament to be neutral rather than negative.The infant behaviour diary was a significant predictor of parenting stress in the mother, whereas a composite score from the mother-rated temperament measure did not predict parenting stress.Significant gender differences were not found on any of the temperament measures; however, male infants had somewhat longer crying episodes than female infants.Male infants were rated as less reinforcing to their mothers, and mothers of male infants rated themselves as less attached to their infants than did mothers of "? female infants.Results are discussed in terms of how early infant characteristics .A which require more caretaking may act as a risk factor for negative interactions I /' within the family system and possibly contribute to the development of behavioural problems in later childhood.iii ....
Source: Summit (Simon Fraser University)
Author: Trisha Ackland
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2279061601