Prematurity stereotyping and perceived vulnerability at 5‐months: Relations with mothers and their premature and full‐term infants at 9‐months

Abstract

Objective: To examine the relationship between mothers' prematurity stereotyping and perceptions of vulnerability at 5 months and mother–infant interactions at 9 months for mothers of premature (N = 56) and full‐term (N = 59) infants. Method: At 5 months, mothers rated videotapes of unfamiliar infants given either a full‐term label (FTL) or premature label (PL) and completed questionnaires. At 9 months, mothers were videotaped in interactions with their own infant. A subgroup of mothers completed questionnaires at 32 months. Results: Mothers who more positively rated infants labelled with the same birth status as their own infants chose a more mature toy for their own infant and exhibited more positive interactive behaviours with their own infant at 9 months. Mothers who viewed their infant as more vulnerable at 5 months demonstrated less positive interactions with their 9‐month old infants. Both mothers of premature and full‐term infants who rated FTL infants more positively at 5 months felt less self‐efficacious; however, the former group felt more overprotective whereas the latter group reported less overprotectiveness. Conclusions: Results show some support for a relationship between early maternal cognitions and later maternal behaviour, although present findings are not as consistent as in previous studies. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Keywords:

• prematurity
• mother(s)
• perceptions

Notes

1. Copies of the entire questionnaire can be obtained from the authors.

2. Correlation tables can be obtained from the authors.