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Mothers and fathers and mothers and babies: Interrelationship among relationships
Author(s) -
Arco Christina M. B.,
Datan Nancy,
Self Patricia A.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
infant mental health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1097-0355
pISSN - 0163-9641
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0355(198422)5:2<83::aid-imhj2280050204>3.0.co;2-h
Subject(s) - spouse , psychology , marital relationship , developmental psychology , perception , social relation , interpersonal relationship , social support , clinical psychology , social psychology , neuroscience , sociology , anthropology
The relationship between perceived marital satisfaction and early mother‐infant interaction was investigated. Seventeen mothers and their three‐day‐old infants served as subjects. Dyads were observed via a modified time‐sampling technique during a hospital feeding session. Then mothers completed a questionnaire concerning their perceptions of the marital relationship. Correlational analyses revealed a significant covariance of positive perceptions of the expressive aspects of the marital relationship and heightened social interaction for mother and infant. An interrelationship was observed between mother‐neonate social‐visual communication and maternal reports of planned pregnancies, time spent talking with spouse, general ratings of “getting along with spouse,” and positive overall evaluations of the material relationship. Also observed was the interrelationship of mother holding infant away from close bodily contact with reports of decreased love felt toward spouse, less optimal perceptions of ease of emotional expression and spousal interest in maternal daily activities, and less optimal overall ratings of the relationship. Implications of the results and the need for further research are discussed.