Stress as a predictor of the quality of parent-infant interactions.
Three predictor variables--vulnerability to stress, expectations for parenting stress, and low power attributions--were assessed for 21 couples during pregnancy. In-home observations of parent-infant interactions occurred 4 months postnatally. Stepwise multiple regression analyses, calculated separately for mothers and fathers, revealed that prenatal stress factors were more successful in predicting father-infant interactions. On the interaction variable basic care, 67% of the variance was explained by fathers' parenting stress expectations, stress vulnerability, and attributions for low power, whereas only 2% of the variance on basic care was explained by maternal scores on the same variables. Results of this study indicated that parent-infant interactions are affected by parental attitudes and personality characteristics. The present research also underscored the continued need to study the differential effects of gender on parent-infant interactions.
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Human Development, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
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Hughes
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D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*