Maternal mind-mindedness during infancy, general parenting sensitivity and observed child feeding behavior: a
Claire Farrow1, Jackie Blissett
1a Psychology, School of Life & Health Sciences , Aston University , Birmingham , UK.
Attachment & Human Development
|April 2, 2014
Summary
Maternal mind-mindedness, the tendency to see children as individuals with thoughts and feelings, predicts sensitive parenting. This study found maternal mind-mindedness is linked to positive feeding behaviors in infants.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Maternal-Child Interaction Studies
- Early Childhood Nutrition
Background:
- Maternal mind-mindedness, viewing infants as agents with mental states, predicts sensitive parenting.
- The role of maternal mind-mindedness in infant feeding interactions remains under-explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between maternal mind-mindedness at 6 months and maternal sensitivity and feeding behaviors at 1 year.
- To investigate the influence of feeding method (breastfeeding vs. formula feeding) on maternal mind-mindedness.
Main Methods:
- Maternal mind-mindedness assessed at 6 months postpartum.
- Maternal sensitivity and feeding behaviors observed when infants were 1 year old.
- Statistical analyses controlled for feeding method.
Main Results:
- Maternal mind-mindedness was higher in mothers who breastfed.
- Mind-mindedness at 6 months predicted more sensitive and positive feeding behaviors at 1 year, independent of breastfeeding status.
- General maternal sensitivity during play mediated the link between mind-mindedness and feeding behaviors.
Conclusions:
- Maternal mind-mindedness is associated with more adaptive feeding interactions.
- Interventions promoting maternal consideration of infant mental states may improve feeding behaviors.
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