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Mothers' Temperament, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and Psychological Symptoms: How Are Enduring Maternal Characteristics Related to Mothers' Perceptions of Children's Temperament, Behavior Problems, and Adaptive Functioning?

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Date Issued:
2016
Abstract/Description:
Extant literature documented the impact of mothers' characteristics and parenting behaviors on young children's psychosocial outcomes. Additionally, previous studies demonstrated the importance of mothers' adverse childhood experiences in the relationships among some of these constructs. To expand on the existing knowledge, the present study examined the relationships among mothers' temperament, reflective functioning, attributions, and specific parenting behaviors, with reflective functioning and attributions serving as two potential mediating variables in these relationships. A community sample of 224 diverse mothers of young children who were between 2- to 5-years of age rated their own adverse childhood experiences, temperament, reflective functioning, attributions, specific parenting behaviors, satisfaction with their maternal role, and psychological symptoms. Additionally, mothers rated their children's temperament, behavior problems, and adaptive functioning. Statistical analyses were conducted on the overall sample as well as on a subsample of participants who reported a high exposure to adverse childhood experiences. Correlational analyses indicated a variety of significant relationships among the variables of interest. Next, mediational analyses indicated that mothers' attributions mediated the relationship between mothers' temperament and parenting behaviors in both the overall sample and the subsample of mothers who reported high exposure to adverse childhood experiences. Further, hierarchical regression analyses demonstrated that a number of maternal characteristics predicted young children's outcomes. Overall, this study identified unique predictors of mothers' parenting behaviors and of mothers' perceptions of the outcomes experienced by their young children. Most importantly, this study highlighted the importance of serving families as a whole when wanting to provide lasting improvements to individual and family functioning through intervention services.
Title: Mothers' Temperament, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and Psychological Symptoms: How Are Enduring Maternal Characteristics Related to Mothers' Perceptions of Children's Temperament, Behavior Problems, and Adaptive Functioning?.
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Name(s): Kolomeyer, Ellen, Author
Renk, Kimberly, Committee Chair
Cassisi, Jeffrey, Committee Member
Sims, Valerie, Committee Member
University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2016
Publisher: University of Central Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: Extant literature documented the impact of mothers' characteristics and parenting behaviors on young children's psychosocial outcomes. Additionally, previous studies demonstrated the importance of mothers' adverse childhood experiences in the relationships among some of these constructs. To expand on the existing knowledge, the present study examined the relationships among mothers' temperament, reflective functioning, attributions, and specific parenting behaviors, with reflective functioning and attributions serving as two potential mediating variables in these relationships. A community sample of 224 diverse mothers of young children who were between 2- to 5-years of age rated their own adverse childhood experiences, temperament, reflective functioning, attributions, specific parenting behaviors, satisfaction with their maternal role, and psychological symptoms. Additionally, mothers rated their children's temperament, behavior problems, and adaptive functioning. Statistical analyses were conducted on the overall sample as well as on a subsample of participants who reported a high exposure to adverse childhood experiences. Correlational analyses indicated a variety of significant relationships among the variables of interest. Next, mediational analyses indicated that mothers' attributions mediated the relationship between mothers' temperament and parenting behaviors in both the overall sample and the subsample of mothers who reported high exposure to adverse childhood experiences. Further, hierarchical regression analyses demonstrated that a number of maternal characteristics predicted young children's outcomes. Overall, this study identified unique predictors of mothers' parenting behaviors and of mothers' perceptions of the outcomes experienced by their young children. Most importantly, this study highlighted the importance of serving families as a whole when wanting to provide lasting improvements to individual and family functioning through intervention services.
Identifier: CFE0006130 (IID), ucf:51167 (fedora)
Note(s): 2016-05-01
M.S.
Sciences, Psychology
Masters
This record was generated from author submitted information.
Subject(s): Adverse Childhood Experiences -- Parenting -- Young Children -- Families -- Child Outcomes
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006130
Restrictions on Access: campus 2021-05-15
Host Institution: UCF

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