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Child‐rearing expectations and developmental knowledge according to maternal age and parity
Author(s) -
Reis Janet
Publication year - 1988
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(198824)9:4<287::aid-imhj2280090404>3.0.co;2-3
Subject(s) - psychology , operationalization , developmental psychology , humanities , parity (physics) , context (archaeology) , philosophy , geography , physics , archaeology , epistemology , particle physics
A convenience sample of 6% mothers was surveyed according to their attitudes toward childrearing and knowledge of developmental milestones. A majority of mothers, regardless of age, were incorrect in their assessment of when key infant abilities occur. When the responses were analyzed according to age, the youngest group of mothers (16 years and less) were least knowledgeable and had the least desirable child‐rearing attitudes of the three age groups, although these differences were no more than would be expected by chance alone. Parity (operationalized as no child versus at least one child) had few associations with maternal knowledge or attitudes within any of the three age groups analyzed. The results are discussed in terms of future research as well as in the context of the ongoing expansion of parenting programs for mothers and fathers of all ages.