The negative impact of maternal bulimic symptoms on parenting behavior.
OBJECTIVE
This longitudinal study examined the negative impact of postnatal bulimic symptoms on parenting behavior.


METHODS
Ninety-one Chinese mothers were assessed with self-report questionnaires during pregnancy (T1) and telephone interviewed at 6 months (T2) and 1 year postnatal (T3).


RESULTS
Bivariate correlation analyses showed that parenting behavior at T3 was correlated with maternal-fetal attachment at T1 and maternal bulimic symptoms at T2. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses further demonstrated that bulimic symptoms at T2 predicted maternal concern at T3 above and beyond the effects of maternal-fetal attachment at T1. However, bulimic symptoms at T2 did not uniquely predict maternal restrictiveness at T3.


CONCLUSIONS
To facilitate effective parenting, examining maternal eating disturbance alone may not be sufficient to understand fully its impact on parenting behavior. This area of research should move toward identifying how multiple risk factors work together to interfere with the functioning of the parental role.
Lai
Beatrice Pui-yee
BP
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hongkong SAR, People's Republic of China.
Tang
Catherine So-kum
CS
D000328:Adult; D002032:Bulimia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D033261:Maternal-Fetal Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D009769:Object Attachment; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult