Emotional Availability in Mexican-Heritage Low-Income Mothers and Children: Infancy through Preschool

SYNOPSIS

Objective . The objective of the study was to examine longitudinal trends in the emotional availability of mothers and children from Mexican-heritage families. Design . We observed and rated emotional availability in 78 mother–child pairs four times across the children's infant to preschool developmental periods. Mothers also reported on their psychosocial functioning at 3 of the 4 time points. The mothers belonged to four distinct cultural communities primarily differentiated by their relationships with extended family and Mexico. Results . At each time point, mothers were rated as extremely high in Sensitivity and low in Hostility, and children were rated as relatively high in Responsiveness and Involvement. Maternal Hostility decreased over time, and maternal Structuring, and child Responsiveness and Involvement increased; Sensitivity ratings did not change. Person-centered analysis defined patterns of stability and change in emotional availability over time. Mothers with more social and material ties to their families in Mexico were the least likely to structure. There were modest associations between observed emotional availability and reported psychosocial functioning. Conclusions . Maternal ratings of sensitivity and hostility, and child ratings of responsive and involved emotional availability appear valid for Mexican-heritage families. Structuring appears to be influenced by maternal participation in cultural communities with differential ties to Mexico and depression.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The findings reported here are based on research conducted as part of the national Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project funded by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to the University of California, Los Angeles. The research is part of the independent research the University of California, Los Angeles, conducted with Children First Early Head Start, which is one of 17 programs participating in the national Early Head Start study. The authors are members of the Early Head Start Research Consortium. The Consortium consists of representatives from the 17 programs participating in the evaluation, 15 local research teams, the evaluation contractors, and ACF. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.