1. Objectifs

Intentions :
« The present study was designed to investigate the nature of that vulnerability (physical health problems) as well as the role of good health in maintaining normal development in high-risk, inter-generational sample. » (p. 16)
Questions/Hypothèses :
« The first hypothesis was that maternal childhood characteristics would predict physical health in both mother and offspring. The second general hypothesis was that demographic variables would mediate those effects. The third general hypothesis was that there would be continuity over time for health so that pre- and post-natal health status would predict early childhood health. » (p. 16)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
114 familles (provenant du Concordia Longitudinal Risk Project) dont 65 dyades mères-filles et 49 dyades mères-fils. La moitié de ces mères présentent des comportements à risques et les autres composent le groupe témoin. L’âge des mères varie de 25 à 35 ans alors que celui des enfants varie de 1 à 6 ans.

Instruments :
- Demographic Information Questionnaire;
- Obstetric and Child Health Questionnaire developed by principal investigators of the Concordia Longitudinal Risk Project;
- Open ended questions, to mothers, pertaining to all aspects of the pregnancy, delivery and health status of the target child;
- Maternal Health Questionnaire developed for the present study;
- Parenting Stress Index (Abidin, 1995).
Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique et analyse de contenu

3. Résumé

« Health is a result of both internal (biological) and external (e.g. environmental) factors, and it has effects on both child development and the parent-child relationship. The present study examined the role of physical health in high-risk families with young children. The Concordia Longitudinal Risk Project includes a sample of mothers who were identified in childhood as being highly agressive and/or socially withdrawn. Previous findings from this prospective, inter-generational project suggest that the offspring might be at risk for both health and academic problems by the time they reach school-age. Mothers and their prescool children were visited at home on several occasions in order to collect data on their health and maternal parenting stress. The results indicated that maternal childhood agression and social withdrawal as well as substance abuse play a role in health of the next generation from the prenatal period to the preschool years. There was also evidence for continuity of physical health from birth until early childhood, with neonatal status emerging as a maker for colic and ilness in early childhood. More mature newborns who did not need medical treatment before leaving the hospital were less likely to have common chilhood illness. Children who were ill more often during early childhood had mothers who reported higher levels of parenting stress. The role of health in family functioning is discussed within the context of the literature and models of inter-generational transfer of risk. Finally, implications for clinicians and public health policy are discussed. » (p. iii)