Effects of maternal behavior on toddler behavior during separation.
The influence of maternal preseparation behavior on children's separation behavior was investigated. 72 (36 female, 36 male) 15-18-month-olds met with same-gender age-mates for an 8-min play and 4-min separation session. During the play period, mothers were instructed to interact extensively or minimally with their children, or were given no instructions except to interact normally. The noninstructed group was later divided into an extensive and a minimal group. During the separation period, the effect of previous amount of maternal interaction varied according to mothers' instructions and the gender of the children. Children with mothers who were instructed to interact minimally displayed distress sooner and played less with their age-mates than children with noninstructed minimally interacting mothers. Males with minimally interacting mothers spent more time unoccupied and less time playing alone than did females. The findings demonstrate the varying influence that different instructions to mothers may have on children's separation behavior.
Lollis
S P
SP
Department of Family Studies, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
D001010:Anxiety, Separation / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D010379:Peer Group; D010988:Play and Playthings; D012737:Sex Factors; D012919:Social Behavior