The contribution to an explanation of early maternal adaptation by mothers'
expectations for child behaviour as compared to their descriptions of infant
temperament was investigated within the framework of a goodness of fit model (Lerner
& Lerner, 1983). Analyses were made separately for primiparas (n = 45) and
multiparas (n = 74). Expectations and temperament were measured for the dimensions
of regularity, approach-withdrawal and manageability with questionnaires completed
at infant age 6 weeks (expectations) and 4 months (temperament). Data on maternal
adaptation (role satisfaction, irritability, stress, and coping) were obtained in
interviews shortly after the temperament questionnaire was completed and at infant
age 10 months (role satisfaction). The results showed that descriptions of actual
temperament were more predictive of adaptational experiences than were mothers'
expectations. Infant temperament, especially the dimensions of manageability and
regularity, was more important for multiparous mothers than for first-time mothers.
The interactive effects predicted from the good-ness of fit model were not found.
The results were discussed from the perspective of the different situations
prevailing for first-time and multiparous mothers.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Bates, J. E.
(1980).
The concept of difficult temperament
. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 26,
299-319
.
2.
Belsky, J.
,
Ward, M. J.
, &
Rovine, M.
(1986). Prenatal expectations, postnatal experiences and
the transition to parenthood. In
R. Ashmore
&
D. Brodzinsky
(Eds), Thinking about the family: Views of parents and children.
Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc.
(Pp. 119-145.)
3.
Bohlin, G.
&
Hagekull, B.
(1987).
"Good mothering": Maternal attitudes and motherinfant interaction
. Infant Mental Health Journal, 8,
352-363
.
4.
Bohlin, G.
,
Hagekull, B.
, &
Lindhagen, K.
(1981).
Dimensions of infant behavior
. Infant Behavior and Development, 4,
83-96
.
5.
Carey, W. B.
(1970).
A simplified method for measuring infant temperament
. Journal of Pediatrics, 77,
188-194
.
6.
Cohen, J.
&
Cohen, P.
(1983). Applied multiple regression/correlation analysis for
the behavioral sciences (2nd edn).
Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc.
7.
Cox, M. J.
(1985).
Progress and continued challenges in understanding the transition to parenthood
. Journal of Family Issues, 6,
395-408
.
8.
Crnic, K. A.
,
Greenberg, M. T.
,
Ragozin, A. S.
,
Robinson, N. M.
, &
Basham, R. B.
(1983).
Effects of stress and social support on mothers and premature and full-term infants
. Child Development, 54,
209-217
.
9.
Gerson, E. F.
(1974). Dimensions of infant behavior in the first half
year of life. In
P. M. Shereshefsky
&
L. J. Yarrow
(Eds), Psychological aspects of a first pregnancy and early postnatal
adaptation.
New York: Raven Press
. (Pp. 217-224.)
10.
Goetting, A.
(1986).
Parental satisfaction. A review of research
. Journal of Family Issues, 7,
83-109
.
11.
Hagekull, B.
(1985).
The Baby and Toddler Behavior Questionnaires: Empirical studies and
conceptual considerations
. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 26,
110-122
.
12.
Hagekull, B.
(in press). Longitudinal stability of temperament within a behavioral
style framework. In
G. A. Kohnstamm
,
J. Bates
&
M. K. Rothbart
(Eds), Temperament in childhood.
New York: Wiley
.
13.
Hagekull, B.
&
Bohlin, G.
(1981).
Individual stability in dimensions of infant behavior
. Infant Behavior and Development, 4,
97-108
.
14.
Ilagekull, B.
,
Bohlin, G.
, &
Lindhagen, K.
(1982). Early individuality: Validity of parental
reports. Uppsala Psychological Reports No. 318).
Uppsala, Sweden: Department of Psychology,
University of Uppsala
.
15.
Hagekull, B.
,
Bohlin, G.
, &
Lindhagen, K.
(1984).
Validity of parental reports
. Infant Behavior and Development, 7,
77-92
.
16.
Heinicke, C. M.
,
Diskin, S. D.
,
Ramsey-Klee, D. M.
, &
Given, K.
(1983).
Pre-birth characteristics and family development in the first year of life
. Child Development, 54,
194-208
.
17.
Keating, G. W.
&
Manning, T.
(1974). In
P. M. Shereshefsky
&
L. J. Yarrow
(Eds), Psychological aspects of afirst pregnancy and early postnatal
adaptation.
New York: Raven Press
. (Pp. 225-236.)
18.
Lerner, J. V.
(1984).
The import of temperament for psychological functioning
. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 30,
177-188
.
19.
Lerner, J. V.
&
Galambos, N. L.
(1985).
Maternal role satisfaction, mother-infant interaction and child
temperament: A process model
. Developmental Psychology, 21,
1157-1164
.
20.
Lerner, J. V.
&
Lerner, R. M.
(1983). Temperament and adaptation across life:
Theoretical and empirical issues. In
P. B. Baltes
&
O. G. Brim Jr.
(Eds), Life-span development and behavior, Vol. 5.
New York: Academic Press
. (Pp. 197-231.)
21.
Lerner, J. V.
,
Lerner, R. M.
, &
Zabski, S.
(1985).
Temperament and elementary school children's actual and rated academic
performance: A test of a "Goodness-of-Fit" model
. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 26,
125-136
.
22.
Lerner, R. M.
(1983). A "Goodness of Fit" model of person-context
interaction. In
D. Magnusson
&
V. L. Allen
(Eds), Human development. An interactional perspective.
New York: Academic Press
.
23.
McKim, M. K.
(1987).
Transition to what? New parents' problems in the first year
. Family Relations, 36,
22-25
.
24.
Matheny, A. P. Jr.
,
Wilson, R. S.
, &
Thoben, A. S.
(1987).
Home and mother: Relations with infant temperament
. Developmental Psychology, 23,
323-331
.
25.
Miller, B. C.
&
Sollie, D. L.
(1980).
Normal stresses during the transition to parenthood
. Family Relations, 29,
459-465
.
26.
Moss, H. A.
(1967).
Sex, age, and state as determinants of mother-infant interaction
. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 13,
19-36
.
27.
Plomin, R.
&
Daniels, D.
(1984).
The interaction between temperament and environment: Methodological considerations
. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 30,
149-162
.
28.
Pridham, K. F.
,
Egan, K. B.
,
Chang, A. S.
, &
Hansen, M. F.
(1986).
Life with a new baby: Stressors, supports, and maternal experience
. Public Health Nursing, 3,
225-239
.
29.
Roberts, F. B.
(1983).
Infant behavior and the transition to parenthood
. Nursing Research, 32,
213-217
.
30.
Rothbart, M. K.
(1986).
Longitudinal observations of infant temperament
. Developmental Psychology, 22,
356-365
.
31.
Sirignano, S. W.
&
Lachman, M. E.
(1985).
Personality change during the transition to parenthood: The role of
perceived infant temperament
. Developmental Psychology, 21,
558-567
.
32.
Thomas, A.
,
Chess, S.
, &
Birch, H. G.
(1968). Temperament and behavior disorders in children.
New York: New York University Press
.
33.
Thomas, A.
,
Chess, S.
,
Birch, H. G.
,
Hertzig, M.
, &
Korn, S.
(1963). Behavioral individuality in early childhood.
New York: New York University Press
.
34.
Thomas, A.
,
Chess, S.
, &
Korn, S.
(1982).
The reality of difficult temperament
. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 28,
1-20
.
35.
Vaughn, B. E.
,
Taraldson, B. J.
,
Crichton, L.
, &
Egeland, B.
(1981).
The assessment of infant temperament: A critique of the Carey Infant
Temperament Questionnaire
. Infant Behavior and Development, 4,
1-17
.
36.
Ventura, J. N.
&
Stevenson, M. B.
(1986).
Relations of mothers' and fathers' reports of infant temperament, parents'
psychological functioning, and family characteristics
. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 32,
275-289
.
37.
Windle, M.
,
Hooker, K.
,
Lenerz, K.
,
East, P. L.
,
Lerner, J. V.
, &
Lerner, R. M.
(1986).
Temperament, perceived competence, and depression in early and late adolescents
. Developmental Psychology, 22,
384-392
.
38.
Windle, M.
&
Lerner, R. M.
(1984).
The role of temperament in dating relationships among young adults
. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 30,
163-175
.
39.
Zeanah, C. H.
,
Keener, M. A.
, &
Anders, T. F.
(1986).
Adolescent mothers' prenatal fantasies and working models of their infants
. Psychiatry, 49,
193-203
.
40.
Zeanah, C. H.
,
Keener, M. A.
,
Stewart, L.
, &
Anders, T. F.
(1985).
Prenatal perception of infant personality: A preliminary investigation
. Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry,
24,
204-210
.
