Background: The purpose of the present study was to test a maternal attachment model of behavior problems in early childhood using phase I data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care, a prospective study of 1,364 children from birth through sixth grade. Methods: Mothers' and caregivers' ratings of children's internalizing and externalizing…

Literature on parent-toddler affiliative behavior which reflects the dynamic and reciprocal nature of parent-toddler interaction is reviewed in this paper, including an ecosystems perspective. Affiliative behaviors for parents and toddlers are defined with respect to the verbal and physical behaviors of both parent and toddler. Also, research…

Over the past decade, gradual changes have occurred in some aspects of the social roles taken by men and women. More women with children work outside the home and some men have become very involved in caring for their children. Whether or not such changes have influenced the thinking of members of traditional families and influence parent/child…

Investigates the influence of infant-mother attachment patterns on the development of peer interaction between the toddler and preschool periods. Notes that, in an initial encounter with an unfamiliar peer, attachment patterns appear to be related more to the child's attractiveness as an interactive partner than to the child's own active interest…

Examined the relationship between high risk mothers' teaching interactions with their 20- and 36-month-olds, and their children's behavior in first grade. Found that maternal teaching scores were correlated with children's social behaviors as assessed by their teacher, and with children's cognitive ability as measured on a standardized…

The play and language behavior of mothers with (n=49) and without (n=49) specific reading disabilities was investigated during play with their 14-month-old children. Typically reading mothers produced significantly more symbolic play and language in play interactions with their children than did the mothers with reading disabilities. (Contains…

Maintains that the real solution to demands for high-quality, affordable, readily available infant/toddler child care is society's recognition of the value of parenting both for the nation as a whole and for individual development, and the movement of child care roles and responsibilities from the exclusive realm of motherhood to include fathers.…

This study of infants with low birthweight and significant or mild intraventricular hemorrhage showed that the association of mothers' interactive behaviors with infants' exploratory play responses was dependent on both the age and medical risk status of the child. The timing of mothers' attention-directing strategies and the level of structure…

Mothers in the Mother-Infant Communication Project (MICP), designed to facilitate caregivers' uses of communicative interaction strategies with their high-risk infants, scored better than comparison mothers on caregiving environment quality. Children of MICP mothers who received a group experience in addition to home visits performed better on…

Reports on a longitudinal study of four toddlers and the relationship of the development of moral awareness to maternal communications. Concludes that a 17-18-month period is a crucial transition period and calls for research into the relationship between emotional development and moral awareness. (CFR)

Discusses construction of the Hebrew Communicative Development Inventory (HCDI), an adaptation of the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory (MCDI). The HCDI was administered to a stratified sample of Israeli mothers of 253 toddlers. Results are presented and compared with scores from the MCDI. Results indicate that conclusions concerning…

Part of a longitudinal study of women and their first-born children who have different employment and day care experiences during the children's first three years of life, this study focuses on the socioemotional development of children at 18 months of age, who had received at least nine months of continuous day care. Particular attention is given…

The normal, biologically adaptive development of attachment between the human infant under 3 years of age and mother/caregivers contrasts with the Anglo-Saxon cultural belief that babies should be accustomed to unpleasantness. Separation of hospitalized children from their mothers, as frequently done in the past, has resulted in psychological…

Mothers (n=45) of developmentally delayed young children were surveyed concerning family resources, personal well-being, and adherence to professionally prescribed child-level interventions. Adequacy of resources was related to both well-being and intervention commitment, even after the effects of maternal age, socioeconomic status, and child age…

"Zero to Three is a single focus bulletin of the National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families providing insight from multiple disciplines on the development of infants, toddlers, and their families. Noting that sometimes practice needs to be "translated" into research, as with understanding the phenomenon of paraprofessional…