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Maternal Psychological Absence and Toddlers' Social‐Emotional Development: Interpretations From the Perspective of Boundary Ambiguity Theory
Author(s) -
Bocknek Erika L.,
BrophyHerb Holly E.,
Fitzgerald Hiram,
BurnsJager Kathleen,
Carolan Marsha T.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
family process
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.011
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1545-5300
pISSN - 0014-7370
DOI - 10.1111/j.1545-5300.2012.01411.x
Subject(s) - psychology , construct (python library) , ambiguity , perspective (graphical) , developmental psychology , toddler , structural equation modeling , social psychology , philosophy , linguistics , computer science , programming language , statistics , mathematics , artificial intelligence
The current study tests a novel latent construct reflecting psychological absence and examines its relations with maternal depression, mother–toddler interactions, and toddlers' social‐emotional outcomes in a low‐income sample ( N = 2,632). Structural equation modeling confirmed a psychological absence construct and revealed that psychological absence, measured at the child's 36‐month birthday‐related assessment, is a significant predictor of children's social‐emotional development at 36 months, mediated by mother–child interaction. Results are interpreted within a boundary ambiguity framework .