title: Developmental outcomes of toddlers of young Latina mothers: Cultural, family, and parenting factors.
abstract: Children of adolescent mothers are at risk for poor developmental outcomes. This study is among the first to examine how cultural, family, and parenting factors prospectively predict the cognitive and language development of children of young Latina mothers (N=170; Mage=17.9 years). Mothers were interviewed and observed interacting with their children at 18 months (W1). Children were tested at 18 (W1) and 24 (W2) months. Mothers' cultural orientation (W1) was related to aspects of the childrearing environment (W1), which in turn had implications for the children's development (W2). Specifically, a stronger orientation toward American culture was related to higher mother-reported engagement in parenting by their own mothers (grandmothers), which in turn predicted stronger gains in cognitive and expressive language functioning from W1 to W2. A stronger Latino orientation related to the display of more directiveness and greater mother-reported engagement by the children's biological fathers; directiveness, in turn, predicted fewer gains in cognitive functioning only when father engagement was low and did not predict expressive language development. Finally, mothers' display of more positive affect, a stronger American orientation, and higher grandmother engagement uniquely predicted gains in W2 expressive language functioning. Implications for intervention are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, 144 Kent Hall, Kent, OH 44240, USA. Electronic address: jgrau@kent.edu.
authors.forename: Josefina M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Grau
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, 144 Kent Hall, Kent, OH 44240, USA.
authors.forename: Petra A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Duran
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, 144 Kent Hall, Kent, OH 44240, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Castellanos
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, 144 Kent Hall, Kent, OH 44240, USA.
authors.forename: Erin N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, 144 Kent Hall, Kent, OH 44240, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Silberman
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, 144 Kent Hall, Kent, OH 44240, USA.
authors.forename: Lauren E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Wood
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D002657:Child Development; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003469:Culture; D004522:Educational Status; D019260:Expressed Emotion; D005190:Family; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007804:Language Development; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Acculturation; Adolescent mothers; Developmental outcomes; Enculturation; Latino families; Toddlers