Depression is a major global health concern, especially among mothers of young children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). While various risk and protective factors have been well-established, the role of fathers in potentially mitigating maternal depression remains understudied. This study aimed to investigate the association between…

This study investigated whether higher maternal psychological distress, lower provision of psychosocial stimulation and a negative appraisal of parenting experience were associated with lower cognitive, motor, social-emotional and adaptive behaviour development in children under 3 years of age in Kenya. A cross-sectional design was used, with 81…

When speaking to infants, adults typically alter the acoustic properties of their speech in a variety of ways compared with how they speak to other adults; for example, they use higher pitch, increased pitch range, more pitch variability, and slower speech rate. Research shows that these vocal changes happen similarly across industrialized…

A total of 36 American and African mothers and their children in three age cohorts from 6 to 36 months of age interacted around age-appropriate teaching tasks. Major behavioral differences between cultural groups and tasks were demonstrated. (Author/RH)

Gusii patterns of reproduction and child care evolved in an agrarian setting in which land was abundant and children were scarce. With land now scarce and children abundant, parents continue to be resourceful and strategic in their infant care, but they have not yet altered their reproductive goals of high fertility. (RH)

Compares the behavior of mothers to their own infants at three- to four- and nine- to 10-months of age in five of the societies described in previous chapters: Gusii of Kenya, Yucatec Mayan of Mexico, Italian, Swedish, and suburban Bostonian. Reveals differences between agrarian and urban-industrial societies, as well as culture-specific patterns…

Focusing mainly on mother/infant interactions in non-Western cultures, this review of literature in the area of comparative child development covers theoretical perspectives, empirical research, and issues and trends. Infancy is defined as the period from birth to 3 years of age to provide the broadest possible coverage. Theoretical perspectives…

Examines the effect of day care environments on the social and emotional development of young children in India, particularly considering the cultural context. Considers evidence from a study of families using day care in India, and compares maternal behavioral profiles in mother-infant interaction between India and the United States, Kenya,…

This paper describes a cross cultural study of face to face interactions between American and Gusii mothers and their infants. Observations of the Gusii people of Western Kenya suggest that the direct expression of intense affect is de-emphasized through an avoidance of direct face to face interactions. The present study investigated (1) how and…