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Depressed mothers' behavioral competence with their infants: Demographic and psychosocial correlates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 October 2008

Douglas M. Teti ,
Donna M. Gelfand  and
Janiece Pompa
Douglas M. Teti*
Affiliation:
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Donna M. Gelfand
Affiliation:
University of Utah
Janiece Pompa
Affiliation:
University of Utah
*
Address reprint requests to: Douglas M. Teti, Department of Psychology, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21228.
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Abstract

A multidimensional study examined individual differences in observed behavior of 59 depressed mothers interacting with their 3–13-month-old infants in relation to selected demographic and psychosocial variables. Maternal competence–defined as sensitive, affectively appropriate maternal behavior, was positively related to maternal education, family income, and the number of hours mothers worked outside the home. Maternal competence was inversely related to life stress, marital discord, poor social support, and infant difficulty; all of these relations appeared to be mediated by the women's feelings of self-efficacy in the maternal role. A “risk index,” composed of noncorrelated variables (family income, hours per week mother worked outside the home, and maternal self-efficacy), was strongly related to maternal parenting competence. These results suggest that the quality of depressed mothers' behavior with their babies is related to self-evaluations and contextual risk or protective factors. The findings also highlight the heterogeneity in life circumstances and functioning of depressed women and the probable resulting variability in the level of functioning of their children.

Type
Research Article
Information
Development and Psychopathology , Volume 2 , Issue 3 , July 1990 , pp. 259 - 270
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

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