Leiden University Student Repository

Speltie, Angelique (2023)

De sensitiviteit van jonge moeders in de context van het cognitief functioneren en de perceptie van het ouderlijk gedrag

Master thesis | Education and Child Studies (MSc)

This study researched the relation between cognitive functioning, parental perceptions and the sensitivity of young mothers. Studying this relationship is relevant because parental sensitivity is an important aspect in the development of children's attachment and social-emotional behavior. It was investigated whether cognitive functioning and parental perception separately and together are predictors of sensitivity and whether the relationship between the cognitive functioning and the sensitivity of the mother is mediated by parental perception. The sample consisted of 193 first-time mothers with a age between 18.6 en 28.9 years (M= 24.9, SD=2.29) and their infants aged between 18.7 en 24 months (M=20.4, SD=0.7). Sensitivity was observed during two tasks (Free Play and Teaching Task), cognitive functioning was measured with (part of) the WAIS-III and parental perception was measured with a validated questionnaire (the Parental Cognitions and Conduct Toward the Infant Scale, PACOTIS)...Show moreThis study researched the relation between cognitive functioning, parental perceptions and the sensitivity of young mothers. Studying this relationship is relevant because parental sensitivity is an important aspect in the development of children's attachment and social-emotional behavior. It was investigated whether cognitive functioning and parental perception separately and together are predictors of sensitivity and whether the relationship between the cognitive functioning and the sensitivity of the mother is mediated by parental perception. The sample consisted of 193 first-time mothers with a age between 18.6 en 28.9 years (M= 24.9, SD=2.29) and their infants aged between 18.7 en 24 months (M=20.4, SD=0.7). Sensitivity was observed during two tasks (Free Play and Teaching Task), cognitive functioning was measured with (part of) the WAIS-III and parental perception was measured with a validated questionnaire (the Parental Cognitions and Conduct Toward the Infant Scale, PACOTIS). Single and multiple regressions showed that cognitive functioning is a significant but weak predictor of sensitivity, parental perception is not a significant predictor and cognitive functioning and parental perception together are significant predictors. However, there was no significant indirect effect of cognitive functioning on sensitivity through parental perception. Mothers with a lower IQ have a risk concerning diminished sensitivity towards their child. However more research is required to investigate which other factors contribute to the development of healthy attachment behavior in general and sensitivity specifically.Show less

MINDS/Een Goed Begin, sensitivity, cognitive functioning, parental perception

Author

Speltie, Angelique

Faculty

Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences

Specialisation

Orthopedagogiek

Supervisors

Huijbregts, S.C.J.

ECTS Credits

20

Language

nl