Maternal Behavior and Children's Sociometric Status

PUTALLAZ, MARTHA. Maternal Behavior and Children's Sociometric Status. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1987, 58, 324-340. Research on the determinants of children's sociometric status has generally ignored the role of parental behavior. In this study, the relation between maternal behavior observed during the play sessions of mother-child pairs and the children's social behavior and sociometric status were examined. In addition, the relation between the children's sociometric status and maternal behavior exhibited when interacting with another mother, as well as child dyadic behavior, was assessed. Results indicated that behaviors exhibited in all 3 contexts (i.e., mother-child, mother-mother, child-child interaction) were related to one another and to sociometric status. Finally, the relation between maternal social knowledge and the social knowledge, behavior, and sociometric status of the children was investigated. Again, analyses revealed significant relations. Implications of these findings in terms of the determinants of social status and preventive intervention programs are discussed.