Leiden University Student Repository

Brock, Lianne W. (2013)

The parenting of future parents: The effects of experienced maternal love withdrawal and competing demands on sensitive care giving

Master thesis | Education and Child Studies (MSc)

Experiencing harsh parenting strategies has been shown to be detrimental to later outcomes and through intergenerational transference this parenting behaviour can lead to negative parenting across generations. However, there is a lack of research examining these early experiences in a controlled environment. Therefore the objective of this study was to examine the potential effects of early experienced love withdrawal on the sensitive care giving of an infant simulator. Furthermore, due to a possible change in sensitive parenting behaviour when experiencing multiple demands, we examined the possible effects of competing demands on sensitivity. We hypothesized that more experienced love withdrawal would decrease sensitivity, as would competing demands and that love withdrawal would influence a possible relation between demanding tasks and sensitive behaviour. Our sample consisted of 90 female students, who had no children. Participants completed questionnaires concerning early...Show moreExperiencing harsh parenting strategies has been shown to be detrimental to later outcomes and through intergenerational transference this parenting behaviour can lead to negative parenting across generations. However, there is a lack of research examining these early experiences in a controlled environment. Therefore the objective of this study was to examine the potential effects of early experienced love withdrawal on the sensitive care giving of an infant simulator. Furthermore, due to a possible change in sensitive parenting behaviour when experiencing multiple demands, we examined the possible effects of competing demands on sensitivity. We hypothesized that more experienced love withdrawal would decrease sensitivity, as would competing demands and that love withdrawal would influence a possible relation between demanding tasks and sensitive behaviour. Our sample consisted of 90 female students, who had no children. Participants completed questionnaires concerning early childhood experiences, including the Love Withdrawal scale. They cared for an infant simulator during two consecutive evenings and were invited to a lab session where they were observed in their sensitive care giving, whilst performing free play and two demanding tasks, with the infant simulator. These observations were coded on sensitivity, using the Ainsworth Sensitivity Scale (Ainsworth, Bell & Stayton, 1974). We found that more experienced love withdrawal as a child was linked to less sensitive behaviour later. The experience of a demanding task, also decreased sensitive behaviour during care giving. The experience of love withdrawal, however, did not moderate the effect of competing demand on sensitivity. These results underline the importance of discouraging the use of negative parenting strategies as this can lead to possible negative outcomes. Our findings also point to the potential negative impact that a demanding environment can have on sensitive care giving.Show less

competing demands

parental sensitivity

maternal love withdrawal

harsh parenting

infant crying

Author

Brock, Lianne W.

Faculty

Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences

Specialisation

Child and Family studies

Supervisors

Voorthuis, Alexandra
Veen, Rixt van der

ECTS Credits

20

Language

en