Relationship between Perceived Child Temperament and Maternal Behaviors

MILLIONES, JAKE. Relationship between Perceived Child Temperament and Maternal Behaviors. CmLD DEVELOPMENT, 1978, 49, 1255-1257. In an effort to direct attention to reciprocity with respect to caregiver-child interactions, 24 children and their mothers were assessed relative to temperament and behavior. All of the subjects were black and enrolled in an urban primary prevention program. Results indicated an inverse relationship between mothers who demonstrated positive maternal behavior and the temperamental ease of the child as perceived by the former. Implications and suggestions for further research are outlined, with an emphasis on the importance of the child's potential contribution to parent-child interactions.