1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«Given that mother-infant attachment security is a well-documented antecedent of child socioemotional adjustment, these differential associations between MBQS [Maternal Behavior Q-Sort] dimensions and mother-infant attachment security suggest that MBQS dimensions may also differentially forecast other child outcomes. With the aim of investigating that question, the current study examined the associations of cooperation/attunement, positivity, and accessibility/availability assessed in infancy with child socioemotional functioning at preschool age.» (p. 240)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
«A sample of 195 mother-child dyads (92 boys) were randomly recruited from birth lists of the city of Montreal, Canada. This study is part of a larger longitudinal project (Bernier et al., 2020). In the current report, [the authors] focus on data collected during two home visits when infants were aged 1 (M = 12.6 months; SD = 1.2; T1) and 4 years (M = 48.9 months; SD = 0.9; T2).» (p. 240)

Instruments :
Questionnaires

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique

3. Résumé

Results show «that maternal accessibility/availability, which describes mothers who are psychologically accessible and aware of their infants even when occupied with other activities, was the most salient aspect of maternal behavior in this regard. After accounting for family SES [socioeconomic status] and for its shared variance with the other aspects of sensitivity, maternal accessibility/availability showed significant associations with four of the six child outcomes considered: mother-reported externalizing behavior, mother- and teacher-reported prosocial behavior, and theory of mind (visual perspectives understanding). In contrast, maternal positivity was related to child effortful control only, whereas maternal cooperation was unrelated to child outcomes.» (p. 245) «[The authors] also observed, in a small subsample that underwent a neuroimaging examination, that both maternal accessibility/availability and positivity assessed at one year were predictive of subcortical brain volumes at age 10, whereas maternal cooperation was not (Bernier et al., 2019).» (p. 245) «The results presented in this and previous reports […] suggest that a multidimensional approach to maternal sensitivity is advantageous. [The authors] submit that consideration of the core behavioral components of sensitivity, with both mothers and fathers, is likely to help tease apart the different ways in which interactions between infants and their caregivers set their developmental pathways in motion.» (p. 246)