Predictors of maternal sensitivity in at-risk families

ABSTRACT

Maternal sensitivity is of central importance to a child’s healthy development. This study examines how different types of psychosocial stress originating from the child, the parents, the context, and overall stress relate to maternal sensitivity. Psychosocial stress and its impact on maternal sensitivity are assessed in an at-risk sample of 248 mother–child dyads in the first half year of life. The cross-sectional study was realized as a part of the ZEPPELIN project in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland. Results show, first, that maternal sensitivity decreases with increased amounts of overall stress. Second, lack of social support and low maternal education is associated with reduced maternal sensitivity. Finally, reduced sensitivity is associated with the combination of severe material and parental/familial stress. In contrast, child stress indicators appear to have a weaker association to maternal sensitivity. Implications of these results for practice are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Maternal sensitivity
• risk factors
• mother–child interaction
• parenting
• psychosocial stress
• family resources

Acknowledgements

The author gratefully acknowledges the contributions of the participating families and project colleagues, particularly his project manager Andrea Lanfranchi and feedback from Peter Rieker, Ute Ziegenhain, Erich Ramseier, and anonymous reviewers.

Notes on contributor

Alex Neuhauser is a research fellow at the University of Applied Sciences of Special Needs Education in Zurich. His research interests focus on early childhood education with specific emphasis on the development of caregiver–infant relationships and the evaluation of early intervention programmes.

Additional information

Funding

The ZEPPELIN project is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation [grant number 100019_156610]; Department of Education Canton Zurich [grant number 20100989]; State Secretariat for Migration [grant number 3a-10-0328]; Jacobs Foundation [grant number 2010-893]; Stiftung Mercator Schweiz [grant number 2010-0324]; Ernst-Göhner Foundation (no grant number); Vontobel Foundation (no grant number) and Paul Schiller Foundation (no grant number).