Disciplinary choices of mothers of deaf children and mothers of normally hearing children

OBJECTIVE: To assess the disciplinary preferences of mothers of profoundly deaf children and normally hearing children in a test of the hypothesized link between child disabilities and punitive parenting. METHOD: Disciplinary preferences of mothers seeking a cochlear implant for their profoundly deaf child (n=57), mothers not seeking an implant for their deaf child (n=22), and mothers of normally hearing children (n=27) were assessed using an analog task in which subjects select discipline in response to slide images of children engaging in normative or frankly deviant behaviors that are potentially irritating. RESULTS: Results indicated that mothers of children with profound hearing impairments were more likely to select physical discipline in response to depicted child transgressions and more likely to escalate to physical discipline when the depicted child was described as persisting in the transgression. Additionally, escalation was more probable in response to scenes depicting children engaged in dangerous and destructive acts than in rule-violating acts. CONCLUSIONS: Findings were consistent with the hypothesized link between childhood disabilities and child maltreatment as well as the hypothesis that children with disabilities associated with communication problems could be at risk of physical abuse.     

Depression in mothers of sexually abused vs. mothers of nonabused children

A total of 104 mothers whose children were receiving a psychological evaluation at a university outpatient clinic completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) as part of their child's evaluation. Of these, 32 (31%) mothers were seeking treatment for children who were victims of intrafamilial sexual abuse, 26 (25%) were requesting help for child victims of extrafamilial sexual abuse, and 46 (44%) were seeking counseling services for nonabused children who were exhibiting a variety of common childhood problems. Although there was no significant group difference for BDI raw scores or BDI score categories (i.e., Normal Functioning, Moderate Depression, Moderate-Severe Depression, Extremely Severe Depression), results revealed that 16 (50%) of the intrafamilial abuse mothers, 18 (69%) of the extrafamilial mothers, and 23 (50%) of the mothers of nonabused children reported experiencing at least a moderate degree of depression. Results are discussed relative to their clinical significance, and recommendations are provided for future research with mothers of sexually abused children.     

Empathic responding in children of battered mothers

The present study assessed the empathic abilities of children whose mothers had been the targets of conjugal violence. Thirty-two mothers and their preschool children served as subjects. There were equal numbers of boys and girls. Half of the mothers had a history of having been abused by their husbands while the other half came from non-violent relationships. The instability of the abused mothers' familial relationships was further established by means of a Home Climate Questionnaire. Analysis of this instrument revealed that although abusive husbands were not reported to be physically violent with their children, they were more verbally aggressive than their non-abusive counterparts. Four measures assessed the empathic abilities of the children: role-enactment, social inference, role-taking, and social behavior. A 2-way MANOVA (multivariate analysis of variance) run on these measures indicated a significant main effects of groups on all but the social behavior measure. There was also a significant groups by sex of child interaction on the role-taking measure. The results suggest the early and pervasive influence which marital discord may have on the empathic abilities of young children. Both direct and vicariously mediated forces may influence this facet of the child's social development.     

Prior incest in mothers of abused children

Previous studies have shown that most abusing parents have a history of physical abuse or neglect in their own childhoods. There is little data on the frequency of prior sexual abuse among parents who physically or sexually abuse their children. Many case reports describe the uncovering of a prior incest experience in a parent during the investigation of the child's current incest accusation, but it is unclear how frequently this occurs. One hundred mothers of abused children were asked about sexual incidents that occurred before age 18; the control group consisted of 500 normal women from the same community who were surveyed during meetings of various voluntary organizations. Age and ethnicity did not differ in the two groups. Of the mothers of abused children, 24% reported a prior incest experience, whereas only 3% of the control women reported prior incest. This eightfold difference was highly significant. The 34 mothers from families where sexual abuse was occurring were no more likely to report prior incest than were the 66 mothers from families where physical abuse occurred. The one case of genital mutilation of a child occurred in a family where both parents had been incest victims. Case studies indicate that the parent who has been an incest victim has inhibitions and fears about tenderness, traceable to the childhood incest experience, which are important in the development of either physical abuse or sexual abuse in the family.     

Attachment in deaf mothers and their children

In attachment research, there has been a growing interest in how adults conceptualize their relationships with their own parents as well as in the transmission of attachment status from parent to child and the variables that influence that transmission. The primary goal of the present study was to examine the transmission of attachment from deaf mother to child. Adult Attachment Interviews were collected on 32 deaf women and Strange Situation Procedure data were obtained from their children. While the distribution of deaf mother attachment classifications was similar to that found with hearing samples, the concordance between mother and child in terms of attachment status was lower than in hearing samples. Having a deaf parent did not affect a deaf adult's attachment status. Post hoc analyses suggested a trend towards a dismissing stance in attachment relationships. Results are discussed in terms of variables affecting attachment status as well as the transmission of attachment.     

Sexual health discussions between African-American mothers and mothers of Latino descent and their children

We examined approaches used by African-American mothers and mothers of Latino descent for informal sex-related discussions with their children to inform sexually transmitted infection (STI)/HIV intervention development efforts. We recruited mothers (of children aged 12–15) from youth service agencies and a university in southern California. Fourteen focus groups were conducted: eight with African-American mothers (n = 31) and six with mothers of Latino descent (n = 24). Data were transcribed, coded for most common themes by four of the authors and reviewed for differences by gender of child. Four key themes emerged when focusing on parent–child discussions about sex: (1) sexual activity discussions took place for both sons and daughters; (2) protection from STI/HIV and pregnancy was a key topic; (3) the use of a direct, honest approach was preferred by mothers; and (4) seizing the moment was important for discussion opportunities. These data help broaden our understanding about the strategies used by African-American mothers and mothers of Latino descent for sexual health discussions with their sons and daughters. Evaluations of these for their potential impact on youth sexual health outcomes are warranted. The data can also contribute to the development of new culturally tailored parent–child communication strategies and HIV prevention interventions for young people of colour.     

Teaching low-income mothers to teach their children

The effectiveness of the Avance Parent-Child Education Program in teaching low-income, Mexican American mothers of infants to teach their own children was examined. In two program waves, 486 mother-child dyads participated in program or control groups. Significant program effects were found on Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) scores, on view of self as teacher, and on videotaped mother-child interactions. Program participants became highly skilled teachers of their young children, and the results continued to be present at a 1-year follow-up.     

Representations of attachment relationships in children of incarcerated mothers

Representations of attachment relationships were assessed in 54 children ages 2.5 to 7.5 years whose mothers were currently incarcerated. Consistent with their high-risk status, most (63%) children were classified as having insecure relationships with mothers and caregivers. Secure relationships were more likely when children lived in a stable caregiving situation, when children reacted to separation from the mother with sadness rather than anger, and when children were older. Common reactions to initial separation included sadness, worry, confusion, anger, loneliness, sleep problems, and developmental regressions. Results highlight need for support in families affected by maternal imprisonment, especially efforts to promote stable, continuous placements for children, in addition to underscoring the importance of longitudinal research with this growing but understudied group.     

A message to special education from mothers of disabled children

A conference, organised by the National Womens Advisory Council for women who had given birth to a disabled child, was attended by 150 participants from throughout Australia. The major issues and recommendations relevant to special education are presented in this paper. Issues included the need for accurate and honest information, particularly at birth or diagnosis, as well as the importance of sensitivity, and of skill in counselling, in all professional and community workers at all times. More comprehensive provisions in pre‐school, school and continuing educational services were requested and Governments were asked to look carefully at many problem areas, such as adequate financial support, accessible and cheap transport and the need to establish a ministry for the disabled. Everyone concerned with educational services should become advocates for the disabled and their families, particularly to improve community attitudes towards and services for the disabled.     

Assessing the play beliefs of African American mothers with preschool children

A rating scale measuring parent beliefs about play was developed and validated with a sample of 224 African American mothers of children attending Head Start. Principal components analyses of the Parent Play Beliefs Scale (PPBS) revealed two factors, Play Support and Academic Focus, which capture parent attitudes regarding the developmental significance of play. Maternal ratings of Play Support correlated positively with ratings of children's interactive peer play and were positively associated with parent education. Maternal ratings of Academic Focus were negatively correlated with prosocial peer play ratings and positively correlated with ratings of disruptive and disconnected play in children. Findings support the psychometric utility of the new measure. Future directions involving parent play beliefs in conceptual models of children's social competence during early childhood are discussed.     

Predictors of parental stress in mothers of young children with hearing loss

This study examined parental stress in 184 hearing mothers of young children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Stress levels were measured in three domains using the short-form of the Parental Stress Index (PSI; Abidin, 1995). Mothers in this study demonstrated significantly less parental distress on the PSI than a normative, hearing group, although this difference was quite small. Differences between the hearing and hearing loss samples did not reach conventional levels of significance for the Dysfunctional Parent-Child Interactions or the Difficult Child subscales. An examination of potential predictors of maternal stress revealed that mothers who perceived their daily hassles as more intense also obtained higher stress ratings on all three subscales. Additional predictors of parental distress were frequency of hassles, social support, and annual family income. Increased stress on the Dysfunctional Parent-Child Interaction subscale was predicted by children who had disabilities in addition to hearing loss, more delayed language relative to their chronological age, and less severe degrees of hearing loss. No additional, significant predictors were obtained for the Difficult Child subscale. When all measured variables were controlled for, characteristics that did not predict maternal stress on any of the three subscales included the child's gender, ethnicity, age of identification, mode of communication used, maternal education, and months between age of identification and child age at the time of observation.     

Developmental trajectories of disruptive behavior problems in preschool children of adolescent mothers

Using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), we analyzed individual developmental trajectories of disruptive behavior problems between ages 3.5 to 6.0 years for 183 children of adolescent mothers. We examined how the level of problem behavior (intercept) and the rate of change over time (slope) are influenced by child's sex, mother's depression/anxiety symptoms, and mother's use of negative control for regulating child behavior. On average, disruptive behavior decreased from age 3.5 to 6.0. Child sex and maternal depression/anxiety related to the level of behavior problems but not to the rate of change. Boys and children of more depressed/anxious mothers exhibited higher levels of disruptive behavior. Maternal negative control was associated with both level of disruptive behavior and rate of change, and negative control mediated the effects of maternal depression/anxiety. Greater negative control corresponded to higher levels of behavior problems and no reduction in their display over time. Child race moderated effects of negative control.     

Parenting styles of mothers with deaf or hard-of-hearing children and hearing siblings

The present study aims to determine whether rearing a deaf or hard-of-hearing (d/hh) child would differentiate the parenting and disciplinary preference of parents between the d/hh and the hearing child. The parenting styles of 30 hearing mothers from Cyprus were assessed using the Greek version of the Parenting Styles & Dimensions Questionnaire. Additionally, mothers rated sibling interactions using the sibling inventory of behavior. The results indicated that the dominant parenting style for both the hearing and the d/hh children among the participating mothers was the authoritative type and the least prevalent parental types were the permissive and the strict. Moreover, mothers' perceptions of sibling relationship were found to be a significant factor in predicting mothers' reported parenting styles in this sample. The contribution of the present findings to our knowledge of the parenting characteristics and practices of families who have a d/hh child along with their possible implications for child and family services are discussed.     

Parental agency,identity and knowledge: mothers of children with dyslexia

In this paper we report and analyse findings from part of a two‐year evaluation project which focuses on parent–professional communications over the issues of learning difficulties arising from dyslexia. The key concepts in this study are dyslexia friendly schools and parental partnership, which are discussed in the current policy interest in inclusive education and parent partnership. A conceptual framework has been derived from the study which focuses on parental strategies to ensure adequate provision for their children, knowledge about dyslexia and identity, in particular that of the mother of the child with dyslexia. Excerpts from in‐depth interviews of parents are then presented to illustrate the framework. The significance of the findings is examined in relation to other studies of parent partnership. Implications for a more inclusive version of extended professionalism are also considered.

Parental agency, identity and knowledge: mothers of children with dyslexia

All authors

Carol Buswell Griffiths, Brahm Norwich* Corresponding author. School of Education and Lifelong Learning, University of Exeter, Heavitree Road, Exeter EX1 2LU, UK. Email: B.Norwich@exeter.ac.uk &; Bob Burden

https://doi.org/10.1080/0305498042000260511

Published online:

23 January 2007

Figure 1. Conceptual framework     

19.

Young children in a new situation with and without their mothers     

F N Cox  D Campbell 《Child development》1968,39(1):123-131

     

20.

Group psychotherapy for adult women mistreated as children by pathological mothers     

Howard B. Roback  Helen Romfh  Michael Bottari  David Lutz 《Child abuse & neglect》1981,5(3):343-349

In this paper, group psychotherapy for adult women having similar backgrounds of abusive, pathological mothers is described. The goals of the group included: providing a support system to help the members cope with their destructive mothers, helping them to recognize how the conflictual relationship with their mothers generalized to other conflictual relationships particularly with abusive men, and helping the members to increase their behavioral repertoire for coping with their mothers' illogical and unreasonable demands. Unlike most treatment groups which take considerable time to develop trusting relationships, intimacy and cohesiveness among group members, the women in this group developed almost instant solidarity. This appeared due to their having a common bond based on sharing equally traumatic backgrounds and on their attraction to men as abusive to them as their mothers. Prior to the group, they felt that no one (including the individual therapist) could understand what their lives had been like. The solidarity in this group grew more intense with time which permitted deeper investigation of topics such as fear of unworthiness, closeness, and abandonment. Findings from a self-report questionnaire suggested that three of the five group members had achieved significant improvements in coping with their troublesome relationships with pathological mothers and abusive men. These three members attributed their gains to their new coping behaviors learned in group, the group's supportive environment, and the group's permission to examine fully the range of feelings they harbored toward their mothers and themselves.     

Group psychotherapy for adult women mistreated as children by pathological mothers

In this paper, group psychotherapy for adult women having similar backgrounds of abusive, pathological mothers is described. The goals of the group included: providing a support system to help the members cope with their destructive mothers, helping them to recognize how the conflictual relationship with their mothers generalized to other conflictual relationships particularly with abusive men, and helping the members to increase their behavioral repertoire for coping with their mothers' illogical and unreasonable demands. Unlike most treatment groups which take considerable time to develop trusting relationships, intimacy and cohesiveness among group members, the women in this group developed almost instant solidarity. This appeared due to their having a common bond based on sharing equally traumatic backgrounds and on their attraction to men as abusive to them as their mothers. Prior to the group, they felt that no one (including the individual therapist) could understand what their lives had been like. The solidarity in this group grew more intense with time which permitted deeper investigation of topics such as fear of unworthiness, closeness, and abandonment. Findings from a self-report questionnaire suggested that three of the five group members had achieved significant improvements in coping with their troublesome relationships with pathological mothers and abusive men. These three members attributed their gains to their new coping behaviors learned in group, the group's supportive environment, and the group's permission to examine fully the range of feelings they harbored toward their mothers and themselves.