Examined the types of play mothers introduce in direct response to their toddlers' play and the actual maternal play behaviors. Findings suggested that mothers tend to play with their toddlers in ways that might promote their children's development and that mothers with more knowledge about play development provide their children with…

Studied role of adolescents' awareness in relationship between marital conflict and adolescent distress. Found marital conflict was related to parental hostility toward adolescents and adolescents' awareness of conflict; parental hostility and adolescents' awareness of marital conflict were related to adolescent-perceived parental hostility. Found…

Used prospective longitudinal design to ascertain whether different types of behavioral inhibition were stable from toddler to preschool age, and whether inhibited temperament or parenting style predicted children's subsequent social/behavioral problems. Found that traditional and peer-social toddler inhibition predicted socially reticent behavior…

Infants of depressed mothers who were visited at home outperformed infants of depressed mothers who received no intervention services by an average of 10 points on the Bayley Mental Scale and were twice as likely to be classified as securely attached. Unserved, high-risk infants showed a high rate of insecure-disorganized attachments. (RH)

Assessed parental characteristics; children's physiological and self-reported reactions to a sympathy-inducing film; and children's dispositional traits. Parental sympathy was related to low distress in same-sex children, and to sons' sympathy. Same-sex parental restrictiveness of hurtful emotional displays was related to children's sympathy. (BC)

Mothers and their kindergarten and third grade children watched a sympathy-inducing film. During the film, there were correspondences between mothers' and children's heart rate and facial expressions. Maternal distress was associated with children's distress, but maternal sympathy was associated only with girls' sympathy. (BC)

Examined the emotional reactions of toddlers to two mishaps. Children's reactions varied along two dimensions: tension and frustration and concerned reparation. Mishaps elicited more negative emotions than did free play, and most toddlers attempted to correct the mishap. Findings indicate that children's styles of emotional response to mishaps may…

Conceptions of parental authority and ratings of adolescent-parent conflict were assessed in 6th-, 8th-, and 10th-graders and their parents. Participants judged the legitimacy of parental authority and rated the frequency and intensity of conflict regarding 24 hypothetical issues. Adolescents and parents agreed that parents should retain authority…

Mothers of toddlers were interviewed and observed. In laboratory observations, maternal employment adversely affected maternal behavior when satisfaction with social support or work role was low. In home and laboratory observations, the effect of poor quality child care was greater when mothers were employed. (BC)

Compared dyads of mothers and low-birthweight infants who participated in a comprehensive early intervention program during the infant's first three years with dyads who received pediatric follow-up. Intervention group mothers had higher ratings than follow-up mothers on quality of assistance. Intervention children had higher ratings on…

Two kinds of parental beliefs, endorsed rearing philosophy (authoritative-authoritarian dimension) and affective attitude toward child (positive-negative affect dimension), were examined in 20 normal and 36 depressed mothers as long-term predictors of child rearing behaviors and interaction patterns with their children. (BC)

Examined parental correlates of child attachment in preschool-aged, economically disadvantaged, urban, African-American sample. Found that 61% were securely attached, with girls more likely to be securely attached than boys. Parents of securely attached children were rated as more warm and accepting, less controlling, and less likely to use…

Compared exploratory, symbolic, and social play and interaction of Argentine and U.S. 20-month olds and their mothers. Found patterns of cultural similarity in sex differences and differences in the use of exploratory and symbolic play. Overall, Argentine and U.S. dyads used different modes of exploration, representation, and interaction,…

A longitudinal study evaluated child-care effects on young children's self-control, compliance, and problem behavior. Findings indicated that mothering was a stronger and more consistent predictor of child outcomes than child care. There was little evidence that early, extensive, and continuous care was related to problematic child behavior.…

Explored the stability of attachment security and representations from infancy to early adulthood in a high risk sample. Found no evidence for significant continuity between infant and adult attachment, but rather a lawful discontinuity, with many participants transitioning to insecurity. Continuous and discontinuous groups were differentiated on…