Predicting maladaptive parenting: Role of maternal object relations

Abstract

Thirty-four mother-child dyads participated in a two-session experiment investigating the relation between mother object relations and maladaptive parenting processes in a larger multivariate model. In the first session, trained observers videotaped mothers and their children in natural interaction within their own home. In the second session, mothers completed several questionnaires tapping child behavior, mother dysphoria, socioemotional climate, and mother object relations. These predictors were regressed against two criterion variables: maternal compliance with child disobedience and mother indiscriminate childcare behavior. Results show that object relations variables accounted for variance that was not explained by the covariates for mother indiscriminance but not for maternal compliance. These results are discussed within the framework of understanding maladaptive parenting.