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Impact of marital quality and parent-infant interaction on preschool behavior problems

K M Benzies1, M J Harrison, J Magill-Evans

  • 1Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.

Public Health Nursing (Boston, Mass.)
|March 21, 1998
PubMed

Insights

Parental marital quality, not infant interaction, predicts preschool behavior problems. Family socioeconomic status also impacts behavior issues for fathers. Findings offer insights for pediatric nurses.

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Family Studies

Background:

  • Parent-child interactions and family dynamics are crucial for child development.
  • Understanding factors influencing preschool behavior problems is essential for early intervention.
  • Previous research has explored various predictors of child behavior, but the interplay of marital quality, socioeconomic status, and parent-child interaction requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the relationships between parent-child interactions, marital quality, family socioeconomic status, and preschool behavior problems.
  • To determine if parent-infant interaction at 12 months predicts later behavior issues.
  • To explore the influence of marital quality and socioeconomic status on preschool behavior problems.

Main Methods:

  • Eighty mothers and 74 fathers were observed interacting with their 12-month-old infants using the Nursing Child Assessment Teaching Scale.
  • Parents completed the Dyadic Adjustment Scale for marital quality and the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory for child behavior problems at age four.
  • Statistical analyses were used to assess the predictive relationships between variables.

Main Results:

  • Parent-infant interaction scores at 12 months did not predict preschool behavior problems.
  • Maternal perception of marital quality at 12 months predicted the frequency and impact of child behavior problems.
  • Marital quality and family socioeconomic status predicted the impact of behavior problems for fathers.
  • No significant differences in behavior problems were found between preterm and term children or between boys and girls.
  • Mothers reported a higher frequency of behavior problems than fathers.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal marital quality is a significant predictor of preschool behavior problems, highlighting the importance of parental relationship satisfaction.
  • Family socioeconomic status also plays a role in the impact of behavior problems, particularly for fathers.
  • Findings underscore the need for healthcare professionals, especially nurses, to consider family context and parental well-being when addressing child behavior.
  • Further research could explore the mechanisms through which marital quality influences child behavior and investigate interventions to support families.

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