Magaly Nóblega

Is the ideal mother a sensitive mother? Beliefs about early childhood parenting in mothers across the globe

In this article, we test the hypothesis that beliefs about the ideal mother are convergent across cultures and that these beliefs overlap considerably with attachment theory’s notion of the sensitive mother. In a sample including 26 cultural groups from 15 countries around the globe, 751 mothers sorted the Maternal Behavior Q-Set to reflect their ideas about the ideal mother. The results show strong convergence between maternal beliefs about the ideal mother and attachment theory’s description of the sensitive mother across groups. Cultural group membership significantly predicted variations in maternal sensitivity belief scores, but this effect was substantially accounted for by group variations in socio-demographic factors. Mothers living in rural versus urban areas, with a low family income, and with more children, were less likely to describe the ideal mother as highly sensitive. Cultural group membership did remain a significant predictor of variations in maternal sensitivity belief scores above and beyond socio-demographic predictors. The findings are discussed in terms of the universal and culture-specific aspects of the sensitivity construct.

Maternal Sensitivity and Child Secure Base Use in Early Childhood: Studies in Different Cultural Contexts

This study tested whether maternal sensitivity and child security are related during early childhood and whether such an association is found in different cultural and social contexts. Mother-child dyads (N = 237) from four different countries (Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and the United States) were observed in naturalistic settings when children were between 36 and 72 months of age. Maternal and child behavior during interactions at home and in the playground were described using Q methodology. Findings reveal that across cultures, concurrent maternal sensitivity and more specific behavioral domains of maternal care (e.g., contributions to harmonious interactions and secure base support) are important for childrens attachment security during early childhood. Implications for the study of attachment relationships beyond infancy and in diverse contexts are highlighted.

Impact of a child stimulation intervention on early child development in rural Peru: a cluster randomised trial using a reciprocal control design

Objective Stimulation in early childhood can alleviate adverse effects of poverty. In a community-randomised trial, we implemented 2 home-based interventions, each serving as an attention control for the other. One group received an integrated household intervention package (IHIP), whereas the other group received an early child development (ECD) intervention. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of IHIP on diarrhoea and respiratory infections, the details of which are described elsewhere. Here, we present the impact of the ECD intervention on early childhood development indicators. Methods In this non-blinded community-randomised trial, an ECD intervention, adapted from the Peruvian governments National Wawa Wasi ECD programme, was implemented in 25 rural Peruvian Andean communities. We enrolled 534 children aged 6–35 months, from 50 communities randomised 1:1 into ECD and IHIP communities. In ECD communities, trained fieldworkers instructed mothers every 3 weeks over the 12 months study, to stimulate and interact with their children and to use standard programme toys. IHIP communities received an improved stove and hygiene promotion. Using a nationally validated ECD evaluation instrument, all children were assessed at baseline and 12 months later for overall performance on age-specific developmental milestones which fall into 7 developmental domains. Findings At baseline, ECD-group and IHIP-group children performed similarly in all domains. After 12 months, data from 258 ECD-group and 251 IHIP-group children could be analysed. The proportion of children scoring above the mean in their specific age group was significantly higher in the ECD group in all domains (range: 12–23%-points higher than IHIP group). We observed the biggest difference in fine motor skills (62% vs 39% scores above the mean, OR: 2.6, 95% CI 1.7 to 3.9). Conclusions The home-based ECD intervention effectively improved child development overall across domains and separately by investigated domain. Home-based strategies could be a promising component of poverty alleviation programmes seeking to improve developmental outcomes among rural Peruvian children. Trial registration number ISRCTN28191222; results.

Confiabilidad y validez de constructo del autocuestionario de modelos internos de relaciones de apego adulto, CaMir

^les^aObjetivo. Realizar un estudio preliminar de la confiabilidad y validez de constructo del autocuestionario de modelos internos de relaciones de apego adulto (CaMir) en una muestra peruana. Metodo. Los participantes fueron 372 personas de Lima metropolitana, 240 mujeres y 132 hombres, cuyas edades se encuentran entre 18 y 42 anos (M = 26.63; DE = 5.69). El 76.3% pertenece a un nivel socioeconomico medio, el resto a uno bajo. Se evaluo la confiabilidad por consistencia interna y por estabilidad temporal, como tambien la validez de constructo a partir de las correlaciones entre las diferentes escalas y prototipos. Igualmente, se realizo un analisis factorial. Resultados. Se encontraron adecuados niveles de confiabilidad para la mayoria de las escalas. En este orden de ideas, la mayoria de las correlaciones entre prototipos y escalas son consistentes con lo teoricamente esperado. El analisis factorial mostro la existencia de cinco factores latentes. Conclusiones. El CaMir es un instrumento confiable, con una aceptable validez para la evaluacion de los modelos internos de relaciones de apego adulto, en especial, en el nivel socioeconomico medio, en los cuales predomina el nivel de instruccion superior. Sin embargo, se trata de un estudio preliminar y aun exploratorio que necesita ser contrastado con futuras investigaciones.^len^aObjective. This study aims to assess preliminarily reliability and validity of the Attachment Cognitions: The CaMir Q Sort. The instrument evaluates attachment cognitions at the level of semantic representations and the processing of these cognitions. Method. Participants were 372 persons who lived in Lima (Perus capital city), of these 240 were women and 132 were men, with ages ranging between 18 and 42 years (M = 26.63, SD = 5.69). 76.3% belonged to middle socioeconomic status (SES) and the rest of participants to low SES. They attained high school and higher education. Reliability was evaluated through internal consistency and temporal stability. Construct validity was explored correlating its scales, and through factor analysis. Results. Adequate levels of reliability were found for most scales, and most correlations between prototypes and scales are consistent with theory. Factor analysis shows 5 latent factors. Conclusion. CaMir is a reliable instrument and has an acceptable validity for the assessment of attachment cognitions especially in middle socio-economic status (SES). However, this study is preliminary and still in its exploratory stage, therefore further research is needed.^lpt^aEscopo. Realizar um estudo preliminar da confiabilidade e validez do constructo do autoquestionario de modelos internos de relacoes de apego adulto (CaMir) em uma amostra peruana. Metodologia. Os participantes foram 372 pessoas de Lima metropolitana, 240 mulheres e 132 homens, cuias idades estao entre os 18 e 42 anos (M = 26.63; DE = 5.69). O 76.3% pertence a um nivel socioeconomico medio, o resto a um baixo. Foi avaliada a confiabilidade por consistencia interna e por estabilidade temporal assim como tambem a validez de constructo a partir das correlacoes entre as diferentes escalas e prototipos. Tambem foi feita uma analise fatorial . Resultados. Foram achados niveis adequados de confiabilidade para a maioria das escadas. Em este ordem de ideias, a maioria das correlacoes entre prototipos e escadas sao consistentes com o teoricamente esperado. A analise fatorial mostrou a existencia de 5 fatores latentes. Conclusao. O CaMir e um instrumento confiavel, com uma aceitavel validez para a avaliacao dos modelos internos de relacoes de apego adulto, em especial no nivel socioeconomico medio, nos quais predomina o nivel de instrucao superior. Contudo e um estudo preliminar e ainda exploratorio que precisa ser contrastado com futuras pesquisas.