Poster #164 - Maternal and Paternal Sensitivity and Noninterference Towards Infants in China and the Netherlands

• In Event: 2-002 - Special Poster Session 05 with Continental Breakfast Reception
  In Poster Session: PS 05 - International Section

Integrative Statement

Most of the evidence-based knowledge on parenting originates from Western studies, whereas the World’s largest population is non-Western. In Western attachment research, the most studied aspects of parent-infant interaction are parental sensitivity and noninterference, which reflect the degree to which 1) parents are able to observe and interpret children’s signals and respond to those signals promptly and appropriately (sensitivity) and 2) respect children’s autonomy (noninterference; Ainsworth, Bell, & Stayton, 1974). Both the collectivistic Chinese culture and the notion of ‘tiger parenting’ suggest that Chinese parents may show less sensitive and noninterfering parenting behaviors compared to individualistic Western cultures. To test this hypothesis, the present study observed first-time mothers and fathers and their infants in China (N = 59) and the Netherlands (N = 118). Parental sensitivity and noninterference during free play were coded when infants were 4 and 14 months of age using the 9-point Ainsworth Sensitivity and Noninterference scales (Ainsworth, Bell, & Stayton, 1974).
Repeated Measures ANOVAs indicated a main effect of time and a time*parent gender and time*country interaction for both sensitivity and noninterference. Overall, there was a significant increase in both sensitivity and noninterference from 4 to 14 months of child’s age. In the Netherlands, there was an overall significant increase in sensitivity from 4 to 14 months, whereas in China there was no significant change. For mothers there was an overall increase in sensitivity from 4 to 14 months, whereas there was no significant change for fathers. At 4 months, there was no significant differences between fathers and mothers and between China and the Netherlands in sensitivity, but at 14 months there was. A 3-way interaction however was nonsignificant. For noninterference there was an overall increase from 4 to 14 months in both The Netherlands and China, but the increase was stronger in the Netherlands. There was also a significant increase in noninterference for both fathers and mothers, but the increase was stronger for mothers. At 4 months there was no significant difference between the Netherlands in China in noninterference, but at 14 months parents in the Netherlands were significantly more noninterfering. At 4 months fathers were significantly more noninterfering than mothers, but at 14 months mothers were more noninterfering than fathers. There was no 3-way interaction for noninterference.
To sum up, we found both similarities and differences between parents and countries. Most of the differences between parents and countries seem to occur at 14 months of child’s age. The similarities point to potential universal patterns in development of sensitivity and noninterference, whereas the differences emphasize the need for taking into account parent gender and cultural context when studying parenting. Additional analyses will be performed to uncover factors that may explain country and parent differences in sensitivity and noninterference, such as educational level and parental mental health.

Authors

• Rosanneke Emmen, Leiden University
  Presenting Author

• Wei Li, Leiden University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Marjolein Branger, Leiden University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Mi-lan Woudstra, Leiden University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Lamei Wang, Shenzhen University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Lenneke Alink, Leiden University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Judi Mesman, University of Leiden
  Non-Presenting Author