Mechanisms accounting for the effects of mutually responsive orientation (MRO) at 7, 15, and 25 months in 102 mother-child and father-child dyads on child internalization and self-regulation at 52 months were examined. Two mediators at 38 months were tested: parental power assertion and child self-representation. For mother-child relationships,…

The goal of this study was to examine the links among attachment, child temperament, and the quality and frequency of mother-toddler conflict. Sixty-four mothers and children took part in a series of laboratory tasks when the child was 30 months of age and an audio-recorded home observation when the child was 36 months of age. All episodes of…

The social dimensions of family-peer linkages of 4- to 6-year-old children (N = 63) with developmental delays (IQ range, 50-80) were examined in this study. Hierarchical regressions revealed consistent and meaningful patterns of association relating children's influence attempts directed toward their mothers and their interactions with peers. A…

This longitudinal study examined links between disorganization and atypical maternal behavior at 12 and 24 months in 71 adolescent mother-child dyads. Organized attachment and maternal not disrupted behavior were more stable than disorganization and disrupted behavior, respectively. At both ages, disorganization and maternal disrupted behavior…

Results showed that, although adult male monkeys are less active and more stable in their behavioral levels than mates or offspring, they clearly distribute both initiates and responses differently to male offspring, female offspring, mates and infant and adult monkeys from other families. Implications for human father-infant interaction are…

Investigated the child-holding patterns represented in Western art by examining the mother-and-child paintings and drawings of 34 major European artists. Works of art depicting men holding young children are examined for comparison. (Author/SDH)

The effects of an observer's presence on maternal interactive behavior were examined through observation of mother-child pairs under informed and uninformed conditions. Results indicate mothers played with their children more, were more positive in their verbal behavior, and structured their children's activities more during the informed than…

This project hoped to specify the role of early, mother-infant separation in determining later maternal behavior. Clinically, the results suggest that such a separation should be avoided whenever possible and should be minimized when separation is unavoidable. (Authors)

Twenty mothers and 20 fathers were brought into the laboratory with two of their children (one preschool-age, one toddler) and given a cognitive task that competed with child care for their attention. A phenomenological approach was used to predict changes in parental behavior under conditions of task competition. (Author/MP)

Toddler children and their parents were observed in their homes using an observation checklist. Parent behaviors were categorized as positive, negative, or neutral, and parental reactions to specific child behaviors were examined to determine if the sex of the child or the actual behavior influenced the type of parental reaction. (Author/JMB)

A concept of seductive mother-toddler relationships was initially validated. Subsequent research showed "seductiveness" was stable, though transformed, from 24 to 42 months; the same mothers were not found to be seductive with male or female siblings; mothers seductive with boys were derisively hostile toward daughters. (Author/RH)

Investigates whether, and under what conditions, mothers of irritable infants, in contrast to mothers of less irritable babies, become less responsive/sensitive over time. (HOD)

Demonstrates that a mother's perceptions of and behavior toward an infant can be influenced by knowing whether the infant was born prematurely or full-term. Differences in maternal behavior arising from this knowledge appear to produce differences in the infant's behavior. (HOD)

Observations of parent-child interaction indicate that mother's positive feeling is correlated with her child's sociability, curiosity, attentiveness, manipulation, and offering information. (AJ)