Mothering in Context: Ecological Determinants of Parent Behavior

• Published in: Merrill-Palmer Quarterly Vol. 45; no. 2; pp. 332 - 357
• Main Author: Meyers, Steven A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Detroit Wayne State University Press 01-04-1999
• Subjects: Adjustment; Behavior; Child Behavior; Child care; Child psychology; Child Rearing; Childhood mental disorders; Children; Children & youth; Cognitive Development; Context effects (Psychology); Depressive disorders; Families & family life; Life Satisfaction; Marital Satisfaction; Marriage; Maternal Sensitivity; Mental depression; Mother and child; Mothers; Parent Attitudes; Parent Child Relationship; Parenting; Parenting Styles; Parents; Parents & parenting; Perceptions; Preschool Children; Psychological aspects; RESEARCH REPORTS; Social Influences; Social interaction; Social support; Stress; Stress (Psychology); Stress Variables; Studies; Support Systems; Temperament; Well Being; United States; New York; United States > US
• ISSN: 0272-930X; 1535-0266

How characteristics of parents, children, and the family context relate to mothers' parenting were explored in a sample of 73 mothers and their 5- to 7-year-old children. Maternal authoritativeness was significantly correlated with retrospective attachment security, social support, marital satisfaction, prosocial child behavior, and socioeconomic status. Although these constructs were interrelated, concurrently-assessed parent, child, and contextual-level variables also had unique and significant relations with parenting. Mothers who experienced many stressors stemming from their personal adjustment, social relationships, and children's behaviors were more likely to demonstrate insensitivity during parent—child interactions than participants reporting fewer stressors. Mediated pathways among these theorized predictors of parenting were explored, and findings were generally consistent with Belsky's (1984) process model of parenting.