Galligan,
Robert (9/10) Maternal disruptive behavior and depressive symptoms predict
child distress in dyadic play interactions (Nicholas Paphouchis, Ph.D.; Lisa
Samstag, Ph.D.; Howard McGuire, Ph.D.)
The purpose of this study was to test the
theoretical ideal of facilitative maternal behavior during play. In particular,
the current study investigated whether children were distressed by moments
where the theoretical ideal of facilitation was violated by maternal disruptive
behavior, and whether maternal depression would influence the likelihood of
maternal disruptive behavior and child distress. The sample for the current
study comprised 83 mother/12-month-old child dyads from a community sample,
with mothers completing Center for Epidemiologic Studies - Depression Scale (
CES-D ), and then engaging in naturalistic play. The current study hypothesized
positive associations between maternal disruptive behaviors and child distress
as well as between maternal depression, disruptive maternal behaviors, and
child distress. Results partially confirmed the study's main hypotheses. Into
the Face, a disruptive behavior where the mother placed of objects in close
proximity to the child's face, was positively associated with three of five
child distress indicators: behavioral distress, gaze aversion, and lower
frequency of joint attention. Twelve-month CES-D scores were negatively
associated with frequency of joint attention, and 6-week CES-D scores were
positively associated with frequency of Into The Face. Findings confirmed that
children were distressed by impinging maternal behavior during play, and that maternal
depression has deleterious behavioral sequelae in the dyad, as depressed
mothers were more likely to engage in impinging behavior and were less likely
to engage in moments of joint attention with their children.
