Poster #58 - Maternal Sensitivity, Self-Efficacy and Parenting Stress in High-Risk, Young Mothers: Effects on Child Functioning

• In Event: 2-163 - Poster Session 08
  In Poster Session: PS 08 Section - Developmental Psychopathology

Integrative Statement

Young mothers are at elevated risk for engaging in suboptimal parenting practices, which in turn, can negatively impact their offspring (Lewin, Mitchell, & Ronzio, 2013). Previous research has found that offspring of adolescent mothers demonstrate higher rates of behavioral problems and internalizing symptoms during adolescence and adulthood (Harden, Lynch, Turkheimer, Emery, D’Onofrio, Slutske et al., 2007). Extant literature has highlighted a variety of maternal factors, including attachment, maternal sensitivity, and mental health, which impact the development of psychopathology in children (Bradley & Corwyn, 2007; Campbell, Shaw, Gilliom, 2000; Goodman et al., 2011). The objective of this study is to examine a few key maternal factors in this high risk sample of young mothers in order to better understand how to intervene to help the vulnerable families.

Longitudinal data was drawn from a larger randomized control trial examining the efficacy of a preventive intervention for high-risk, young mothers and their infants. To eliminate the confounding intervention effect, only families randomized to the control group were utilized for the current analyses. These analyses utilized data from 150 racially and ethnically diverse, low-income young mothers (aged 15-23; mean age=19) and their biological infant. At baseline, more than half of the mothers in the sample had a history of trauma (i.e. child abuse, domestic violence), and nearly a quarter had elevated symptoms of depression. Data was collected during a home visit when the child was 24 and 36 mothers of age. The study utilized a multi-informant approach. At 26-months, mothers completed questionnaires regarding maternal functioning. These included the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (Abidin, 1990), which measures the amount of stress the mother is experiencing in her role as a parent. Mothers also completed the Maternal Efficacy Questionnaire (Teti & Gelfand, 1991), which assesses a mother’s feelings of self-efficacy in relation to demands of the parenting role. In addition, Maternal sensitivity was measured using Q-sort methodology (Pederson, Moran, & Bento, 1999), which was completed following observation during the home visit. At 36 months, mothers reported on child internalizing and externalizing behavior using the Child Behavior Checklist 1½-5 (Achenbach, 2000).

Data were analysed using Hierarchical Multiple Regression. First, to understand the relation between each maternal predictor and child functioning independently, individual regressions were run. Results indicated that maternal sensitivity, maternal self-efficacy and parenting stress significantly impacted child internalizing and externalizing behavior. Specifically, mother’s exhibiting more sensitive behavior, and reporting more self-efficacy and less parenting stress, reported that their child exhibited less internalizing and externalizing behavior problems 12 months later. Next, all three predictors were entered simultaneously into a regression model for internalizing, and then externalizing behavior. All three predictors accounted for 25% of the variance in internalizing behavior (F (3,101)=10.612, p <.001), and 18% of the variance in externalizing behavior (F (3,101) = 7.377, p <.001). When entered simultaneously, only parenting stress remained a significant predictor in each of these models.

Overall, these results inform our knowledge on how to best intervene to help high-risk, young mothers raise healthy offspring.

Authors

• Elizabeth Demeusy, Mt. Hope Family Center, University of Rochester
  Presenting Author

• Michelle Alto, University of Rochester
  Non-Presenting Author

• Elizabeth D. Handley, Mt. Hope Family Center, University of Rochester
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jody Todd Manly, Mt. Hope Family Center, University of Rochester
  Non-Presenting Author

• Robin Sturm, Mt. Hope Family Center
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sheree Toth, University of Rochester
  Non-Presenting Author