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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if there were important beliefs about “spoiling” an infant that might help early interventionists identify families at risk of misunderstanding their infant's basic developmental needs. A questionnaire about spoiling was completed by 303 parents. On the basis of two questions, three types of spoiling beliefs were defined. Subsequent questions assessed parents' definitions of spoiling and its impact on future development. Demographic information was also obtained. When the three spoiling types were compared, highly significant differences emerged in terms of demographics, definitions of spoiling, and belief about spoiling's impact on development, supporting “spoiling” as an emerging developmental construct.

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Spoiling an Infant

Abstract

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References