Does recollection of exposure to poor maternal care in childhood affect later ability to relate?
The study tested Bowlby's hypothesis that experiencing the poor relating of parents in childhood predisposes the individual to poor relating in adult life. Data were drawn from two community samples: a younger sample of 25-34-year-old married women, and an older one of 40-49-year-old women. Data were also drawn from the husbands of the women in the younger sample. It focused on the single childhood variable of the recollection of poor maternal care. To avoid the effect of this on depression or other psychopathology, groups who were depressed and not depressed, or who were at different levels of psychopathology, were examined separately. Recollection of poor early care was associated with poor relating, lower age at marriage, poor-quality marriage and divorce from first marriage. There was a suggestion that the effects of the recollection of poor early care of marital partners summate.
Birtchnell
J
J
MRC Social and Community Psychiatry Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London.
D000328:Adult; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D004243:Divorce / Q000523:psychology; D005219:Father-Child Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008149:Love; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D009769:Object Attachment; D010553:Personality Development; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D010555:Personality Inventory