Nonmaternal care in infancy and emotional/behavioral difficulties at 4 years old: moderation by family risk

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Sylvana M Côté1, Anne I Borge, Marie-Claude Geoffroy

  • 1Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. sylvana.cote@umontreal.ca

Developmental Psychology
|January 16, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Maternal care in infancy was linked to fewer behavioral issues, but this effect depended on family risk and child

Area of Science:

  • Child Development
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Family Studies

Background:

  • Child care arrangements significantly influence early childhood development.
  • Understanding moderating factors like family risk is crucial for interpreting child care effects.
  • Previous research has explored child care and behavioral outcomes, but the interplay with family context needs further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how familial risk and child characteristics moderate the association between infant child care type and emotional/behavioral difficulties at age 4.
  • To examine the specific effects of maternal care (MC) versus nonmaternal care (NMC) in infancy.
  • To identify differential impacts of child care based on family risk profiles and child sex.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study following 1,358 Canadian families with infants (1-12 months) over 4 years.
  • Assessment of child care type (maternal care vs. nonmaternal care) in infancy.
  • Statistical analysis to examine moderation by family risk and child sex on emotional/behavioral outcomes at age 4.

Main Results:

  • Family risk status moderated the link between child care type and physical aggression; maternal care was associated with less aggression in low-risk families (small effect size).
  • Family risk and child sex moderated the association between child care and emotional problems; maternal care was linked to fewer difficulties in girls from low-risk families (moderate effect size).
  • These effects were not observed in high-risk families or for boys in low-risk families.

Conclusions:

  • The impact of infant child care arrangements on emotional and behavioral outcomes is not uniform.
  • Family risk and child sex are significant moderators, influencing the relationship between early child care experiences and later difficulties.
  • Tailoring child care recommendations based on family context and child characteristics is warranted.

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