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Maternal correlates of toddler insecure and dependent behavior
Judith S Brook1, David W Brook, Martin Whiteman
1Department of Community and Preventive Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA. judith.brook@mssm.edu
The Journal of Genetic Psychology
|April 16, 2003
Summary
Maternal characteristics significantly influence toddler behavior. Mothering practices and personality traits directly impact insecure and dependent behaviors in young children.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Psychology
- Family Studies
Background:
- Insecure and dependent behaviors in toddlers can stem from various maternal factors.
- Understanding these influences is crucial for early intervention and support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between maternal characteristics and toddler insecure/dependent behavior.
- To explore the mediating roles of maternal child-rearing practices.
Main Methods:
- Survey of 254 mothers and their 2-year-old toddlers.
- Utilized structured questionnaires for data collection.
- Employed Pearson correlations and hierarchical multiple regression analyses.
Main Results:
- Maternal child-rearing and personality traits directly affect toddler insecure/dependent behavior.
- Child-rearing practices mediate the impact of maternal personality, marital relations, and drug use.
- Maternal personality indirectly influences toddler behavior via child-rearing practices.
Conclusions:
- Maternal factors, particularly child-rearing and personality, are key determinants of toddler insecure/dependent behavior.
- Interventions targeting maternal characteristics may prevent such behaviors.
- Child-rearing practices play a central role in mediating these effects.
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