Naama Atzaba-Poria

Mother- and father-child mutuality in anglo and Indian British families: A link with lower externalizing problems

We observed Mother— and Father—Child dyadic mutuality (responsiveness, interaction reciprocity, and cooperation), and its association with child behavior problems, in a socioeconomically and ethnically diverse sample of 125 male (51%) and female 7-to-9-year-old children. Dyadic mutuality and positivity were coded from in-home videotaped structured tasks, and parents completed ratings of child externalizing problems. Mothers showed more mutuality than fathers. The same child showed moderately similar mutuality with both of her or his parents (r = .47). Mutuality was higher among Anglo parents compared to Indian parents, an effect that was due in part to acculturation (i.e., years since immigration, native language use, traditional native culture attitudes). Greater mutuality, when coupled with dyadic positive affect, was associated with fewer externalizing problems (R2 = .24). This pattern held across gender, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups.

Emerging Developmental Pathways to ADHD: Possible Path Markers in Early Infancy

Sixty-six male infants participating in the Ben-Gurion Infant Development Study of familial risk for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)were assessed at 7 months of age using observational and mother report measures. Risk for ADHD was based on ADHD symptoms in the father. Infants whose fathers had seven or more symptoms formed the ADHD risk group; infants whose fathers had three or less symptoms formed the comparison group. The ADHD risk group significantly differed from the comparison group on measures of interest, anger, and activity level and showed less interest in block play and more anger reactivity but less directed anger in a barrier task. According to mother report, the ADHD risk group had higher levels of activity than the comparison group. Measures of neonatal immaturity and activity were related to behavior at 7 months. The findings suggest that possible developmental pathways to ADHD may be emerging in early infancy.

Internalising and externalising problems in middle childhood: A study of Indian (ethnic minority) and English (ethnic majority) children living in Britain

The psychological adjustment of ethnic minority children has received little research attention, particularly in Britain. The present study set out to investigate the adjustment of Indian children living in Britain as well as the adjustment of their English peers. The sample consisted of 125 children (66 Indian and 59 English) between the ages of 7 and 9 years (M = 8.51, SD = 0.62) and their parents and teachers. Mothers, fathers, and teachers reported about the children’s problem behaviour, and parents also reported on their acculturation strategy and use of their Indian language. Analyses revealed that overall Indian children seem to be well adjusted in Britain. Nevertheless, according to parental reports, they exhibited more internalising problems than did their English peers. No significant differences, however, were found for externalising or total problem behaviour. Furthermore, within the Indian group, it was found that children whose mothers and fathers were more traditional in their acculturation style displayed lower levels of externalising, internalising and total problem behaviour, according to their teachers. In addition, children whose mothers and fathers utilised their Indian language to a greater extent displayed lower levels of externalising and total problem behaviour (teachers’ reports). These findings highlight the importance of examining the adjustment of ethnic minority children in multiple contexts.

Maternal Worries about Child Underweight Mediate and Moderate the Relationship Between Child Feeding Disorders and Mother–Child Feeding Interactions

OBJECTIVE To examine the role of maternal worries about child underweight and undereating in mother-child feeding interactions with children having a feeding disorder (FD). METHOD Participants were 27 children diagnosed with nonorganic-based FD and 28 children without FD. Mothers were interviewed about their worries about child underweight and undereating. Mother-child interactions were videotaped during feeding. RESULTS Maternal child weight-related worries acted as both a mediator and a moderator. The more negative mother-child interactions found in the FD group, compared to the control group, were explained by greater maternal worry regarding child underweight. Furthermore, mother-child interactions within the FD group were not at risk per se, but only when coupled with high maternal worries about childrens underweight. CONCLUSION Worry about child underweight partially explains the development of negative feeding interactions when having children with FD, signifying clinical implications for the treatment of FD.

The relationship between children's geographical knowledge and travel experience: an exploratory study

ABSTRACT As learning is identified as a main motive for family travel, this study explores the link between childrens demographic characteristics, travel experience and their geographical knowledge. Interviews were conducted with 261 children, aged 6 to 13, in nineteen schools in England. To validate the childrens reports of travel experience, a questionnaire was also distributed to the parents of the participants. The analysis was conducted using simultaneous multiple regression. The results suggest a direct link between social class, age and travel experience. Unexpectedly, no link was found between travel experience and geographical knowledge. It is suggested that there is a need for further research on the effects of travel on children and specifically on the learning that results from tourist activity.

Why do ethnic minority (Indian) children living in Britain display more internalizing problems than their English peers? The role of social support and parental style as mediators

The purpose of this paper was to examine explanatory mechanisms of differences in childrens internalizing problems between ethnic minority (i.e., Indian) and ethnic majority (i.e., English) children living in Britain. Fifty-nine English children (31 girls) and 66 Indian children (30 girls), and their parents constituted the sample of this study. Both mothers and fathers reported on the childrens internalizing problems, and provided reports of their own parenting style and social support. Analysis showed that maternal positivity, paternal negativity, and both parents’ reports of social support mediated the link between ethnicity and internalizing problems. Furthermore, according to the best-fitting structural equation model, ethnicity did not have a direct influence on childrens internalizing problems, nor on parental style. Ethnicity instead predicted parental reports of social support. Social support, in turn, contributed to childrens internalizing problems directly as well as indirectly through parenting style. Finally, although parenting style significantly influenced childrens internalizing problems, social support was a much stronger contributor. The role of the distal as well as the proximal environments on childrens adjustment is discussed.

Correlates of parenting for mothers and fathers from English and Indian backgrounds

SYNOPSIS Objective . Guided by Bronfenbrenners ecological model, we examined relations between child characteristics and contextual factors and mothering and fathering in ethnic minority and majority samples within Great Britain. Design . 125 families (59 English and 66 of Indian origin) with 8½-year-old children participated. Parental warmth and use of harsh discipline were rated from home observations and semi-structured interviews. Mothers and fathers completed questionnaires regarding childrens negative emotionality as well as reports of their marital satisfaction, job spillover, and a demographic questionnaire for the assessment of socioeconomic status (SES). Results . Childrens negative emotionality was negatively linked to parental warmth and positively linked to parental use of harsh discipline. Mothers tend to be warmer to girls than to boys. At the contextual level, marital relationship quality is negatively associated with maternal and paternal use of discipline, and SES is positively linked to parental warmth. SES provides unique prediction of paternal warmth. Elevated levels of negative job spillover and lower levels of SES are linked to increased use of harsh discipline only for the English fathers, whereas paternal marital satisfaction is negatively related to paternal use of discipline only for the Indian fathers. Conclusion . Some correlates are similar, but parenting in middle childhood also varies for mothers and fathers as well as for parents from different cultural groups.

Internalizing and Externalizing Problems in Early Childhood A Study of Former Soviet Union and Veteran-Israeli Children Living in Israel

The present study set out to investigate the adjustment of Former Soviet Union (FSU) children living in Israel as well as their veteran-Israeli peers. The sample consisted of 145 children (70 veteran-Israelis and 75 FSU) between the ages of 4.0 and 6.5 years old (M = 5.54, SD = .48) and their parents. Mothers and fathers reported about the children’s problem behavior and on their own parenting behavior. Analyses revealed that FSU children exhibited more externalizing and peer problems than did their veteran-Israeli peers. No significant differences, however, were found for internalizing problems. Furthermore, FSU mothers and fathers reported significantly lower levels of authoritarian parenting behavior than did their veteran-Israeli counterparts. Finally, ethnicity was found to moderate links between parenting and children’s problem behavior for mothers but not for fathers. Specifically, for the veteran-Israeli group, the more authoritarian mothers were, the more externalizing and peer problems their children exhibited. However, for the FSU families, the more authoritarian mothers were, the more internalizing problems suffered by their children. These findings suggest that authoritarian parenting may be reflected differently in distinct cultures and cultural conditions, and they highlight the importance of considering both mothers and fathers, as they may go through different acculturation processes.

THE ROLE OF THE FATHER IN CHILD SLEEP DISTURBANCE: CHILD, PARENT, AND PARENT–CHILD RELATIONSHIP

The majority of studies on child sleep problems focus primarily on mothers, neglecting paternal influences. Guided by the transactional framework, we explored how child temperament, paternal and maternal stress, and the parent-child interactions differ between families having children with sleep disturbances and a selected comparison group. The role of paternal involvement in child caregiving as a moderator of these differences was assessed. The sample consisted of 51 children (1-3 years old) and their mothers and fathers. Data were collected during home visits, when mothers and fathers completed questionnaires and were interviewed. In addition, mother-child and father-child interactions were videotaped. Results indicate that compared to the comparison group, fathers rated children with sleep disturbances as fussier, both their mothers and fathers experienced higher levels of stress, and reported using more bedtime interactions that interfere with childs sleep-wake self-regulation. In addition, their fathers were less sensitive during father-child interaction and less involved in child caregiving. Finally, paternal involvement moderated the group differences seen in maternal stress, suggesting that high paternal involvement acted as a buffer to protect parents of children with sleep disturbances from experiencing parental stress. The important role of fathers in families having children with sleep disturbances is discussed.

Parenting of 7-month-old infants at familial risk for ADHD during infant's free play, with restrictions on interaction☆

Patterns of interaction of 34 mothers and fathers with their 7-month-old boys at familial risk for ADHD and 25 comparison families were studied during infant play with blocks. The parents were instructed to refrain from intervening as much as possible. Infants in the risk group did not differ from those in the comparison group in frequency of needing help or involving parents in play. Nonetheless, they received adequate responsivity from their mothers less often than infants in the comparison group. Mothers in the risk group were also more likely not to respond to these needs at all. Mothers in the comparison group were more physically intrusive. No group difference was found for maternal rebuilding of the infants play. No group differences were found for any of fathers behaviors. However, fathers in both groups rebuilt their infants play more frequently than mothers, infants looked at them more often, and a larger number of infants involved the father in their play.