Poster #18 - Factors Contributing to Continuity and Discontinuity in Parent-Child Relationship Quality across Three Generations

• In Event: 2-001 - Poster Session 1 during Breakfast

Abstract

Understanding intergenerational transmission of parenting behavior and its impact on children’s attachment can inform early childhood policy and programs (Belsky, 2005). Sensitive and responsive maternal behavior increases the likelihood that children will develop a secure pattern of attachment (McElwain, 2006). We utilize data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort to: 1) understand the extent to which mothers’ social supports, as indicated by closeness of her relationship with her parents and partner, are associated with maternal responsiveness and toddler attachment security; and 2) identify factors that predict positive parenting and secure attachment for mothers lacking a close relationship with their family of origin. ECLS-B is a nationally-representative cohort of 10,700 US children born in 2001. Assessments were conducted in children’s homes when they were infants (9 months), toddlers (24 months), preschool-aged, and entering kindergarten. At the 9-month, face-to-face interview, the child’s primary caregiver (almost always the biological mother), was asked to rate the closeness of her relationship with her own mother and father. At the 24-month assessment a semi-structured mother-child play task was videotaped and then coded for maternal sensitivity, positive regard, and lack of intrusiveness (each rated 1-7). Maternal responsiveness is the sum of these ratings. Also at 24 months, researchers assessed children’s security of attachment using the Toddler Attachment Sort. We categorized as insecurely attached those children in the lowest quartile of security scores. Sociodemographic characteristics of 8200 mothers of singleton infants are displayed in Table 1. ECLS-B is diverse with regards to maternal age, education, and race/ethnicity, and includes substantial numbers of mothers with characteristics (e.g., teenage-mother; poor health; depression) that may make parenting more difficult. More than half (57%) of women reported an extremely close relationship with their mother (Table 2), but for almost 1 in 5 women their relationship with their mother was rated as only ‘fairly’ or ‘not very’ close. Mothers were less close to their fathers (Table 2). More than 10% of mothers (n=1150) lacked a close relationship with either parent. Mothers with closer relationships with their parents were more responsive to their toddlers, but the effect sizes were small (Table 2). A similar pattern was seen for toddlers’ attachment security, with some evidence for the importance of relationship-quality with fathers (Table 2). These associations will be further explored in multivariate models with consideration for mediation and moderation. Implications for early childhood policy will be discussed.

Authors

• Sarah E Anderson, The Ohio State University
  Presenting Author

• Bharathi J Zvara, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill