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Caring Behavior in Children of Clinically Depressed and Well Mothers
Author(s) -
RadkeYarrow Marian,
ZahnWaxler Carolyn,
Richardson Dorothy T.,
Susman Amy,
Martinez Pedro
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8624.1994.tb00825.x
Subject(s) - psychology , developmental psychology , sadness , maternal sensitivity , affect (linguistics) , strange situation , depression (economics) , clinical psychology , attachment theory , anger , communication , economics , macroeconomics
Young children's sensitivity and responsiveness to mothers' needs were investigated under conditions of high and low parenting risk (depressed and nondepressed mothers, SADS‐L). Child characteristics of gender, affect, and impulse control problems and the mother‐child attachment relationship were examined as they related to children's caring actions. Children's caring behavior was observed in an experimental situation in which their mothers simulated sadness and in a naturalistic setting. Attachment alone and child's problems alone were not predictors, and maternal diagnosis alone was not a strong predictor. Girls were significantly more caring than boys. Severe maternal depression was necessary to bring out high levels of responding in boys. Highest frequencies of caring were from children with severely depressed mothers, problems of affect regulation, and secure attachment. The importance of recognizing interacting influences and diverse underlying processes in the development of children's caring behavior is discussed.