Sensitivity involves understanding the child's signals and responding to them promptly and appropriately (IJzendoorn, 2019). A sensitive and responsive parent provides comfort and security to the...Show moreSensitivity involves understanding the child's signals and responding to them promptly and appropriately (IJzendoorn, 2019). A sensitive and responsive parent provides comfort and security to the child when needed (Bowlby, 1969). Various factors may play a role in parental sensitivity. This correlational study examined whether factors such as child temperament, parenting self-confidence, and parental mental well-being contribute to the degree of parental sensitivity. Thirty-two respondents participated in the study. Sensitivity was measured through observations, while child temperament, parenting self-confidence, and parental mental well-being were assessed using various validated questionnaires. The results showed that child temperament, parenting self-confidence, and parental mental well-being did not determine the degree of parental sensitivity. Despite the lack of a found correlation, it remains important to conduct further research on sensitivity and the factors that play a role in it. Sensitivity can be enhanced through appropriate support of the parents, leading to more sensitive responses to the child.Show less
The development of empathy is an important foundation for the development of the child. Maternal sensitivity can play an important role in the development of empathy in children. A parent who is...Show moreThe development of empathy is an important foundation for the development of the child. Maternal sensitivity can play an important role in the development of empathy in children. A parent who is warm, trustworthy, and empathetic towards the child sets a good example for the child. This would allow children to show more empathy themselves. It is important to do more research on the relation between maternal sensitivity and empathy in children by using a sample from different ethnic backgrounds, because most studies used a sample of white, European, and American families. This study mainly examined the relation between maternal sensitivity and children's empathy. In addition, it was investigated whether this relation is the same for white-Dutch, Afro-Dutch and Turkish-Dutch families. A subsample of 208 mothers and children was used for this study. The mother's sensitivity was measured during a collaborative task in which the parent and child had to build two example models with Kapla blocks together. The child’s empathy was measured with the Griffith Empathy Measure questionnaire. Results showed that mothers from an ethnic majority group showed more sensitivity than mothers from ethnic minority groups. Furthermore, children's empathy did not differ across ethnic groups. Also, there appeared to be a positive trend between maternal sensitivity and children's empathy for both ethnic majority and ethnic minority groups. No significant interaction effect was found between ethnicity and maternal sensitivity in relation to children’s empathy. The current study emphasizes the importance of increasing maternal sensitivity within ethnic minority groups by using interventions, because a limited sensitivity may be a bad influence for the development of the child. Follow-up research should investigate the child's empathic behavior further so that interventions can be developed effectively and adequately to increase the child's empathic behavior.Show less
This study examined the link between maternal and paternal sensitivity and child compliance and the moderation of maternal and paternal non-intrusiveness on the association between sensitivity and...Show moreThis study examined the link between maternal and paternal sensitivity and child compliance and the moderation of maternal and paternal non-intrusiveness on the association between sensitivity and child compliance. The sample was a subsample of the longitudinal study ‘Boys will be Boys’. Data were collected during a home visit with mother and father separately. The current sample consists of 100 Dutch two-parent families with 57 boys and 43 girls aged between 2.5 and 3.5 years. Mothers’ and fathers’ observed sensitivity and non-intrusiveness were assessed with the Emotional Availability Scales (EAS) (Biringen, 2008). Compliance of the child was assessed during a ‘no touch’ session. No difference was found between mothers and fathers regarding sensitivity and non-intrusiveness. Also, no significant association was found between sensitivity or non-intrusiveness of the parents and compliance of the child. The interaction between sensitivity and non-intrusiveness was also not associated with child compliance. The lack of significant results indicates that other parenting or child factors, like age, gender or education might be implicated in child compliance.Show less
Neighbourhood social capital is a relatively new concept in social sciences and has an important role in this research. Neighbourhood social capital consists of informal social control and the...Show moreNeighbourhood social capital is a relatively new concept in social sciences and has an important role in this research. Neighbourhood social capital consists of informal social control and the social cohesion and trust that parents experience in their neighbourhood. The first research question in this explorative study focuses on whether neighbourhood social capital is related to sensitivity of parents. Second, we examined whether temperament of the child is related to sensitivity of the parent. Third, the moderating effect of child temperament on the relationship between social capital and neighbourhood sensitivity of the parent is examined. We used data of 92 parent-child pairs who in 2011 participated in the study Children in the Centre of C.D. Werner at Leiden University. The results showed no significant relationship between neighbourhood social capital and sensitivity of the parent. The relationship between the child's temperament and sensitivity of the parent was also found not significant. Finally, there was no significant moderator effect of child temperament on the relationship between neighbourhood social capital and the sensitivity of the parent. Although the results of this study should be interpreted with caution, it seems that there is no direct relation between neighbourhood social capital and the degree of sensitivity of the parent. Further research is recommended to test an interaction model with multiple predictors for subgroups parents or children.Show less
Deze scriptie is geschreven binnen de studie ‘Kinderen in Beeld’ die wordt uitgevoerd aan de Universiteit van Leiden. De studie onderzoekt de effectiviteit van de Video-feedback Intervention to...Show moreDeze scriptie is geschreven binnen de studie ‘Kinderen in Beeld’ die wordt uitgevoerd aan de Universiteit van Leiden. De studie onderzoekt de effectiviteit van de Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) voor pedagogisch medewerkers. Deze scriptie maakt gebruik van de gegevens van 41 kinderen die zijn verzameld tijdens huisbezoeken en op het kinderdagverblijf. Het doel van deze scriptie is het onderzoeken van de voorspellende waarde van de kwaliteit van de thuisomgeving, sensitiviteit van de ouder, en desorganisatie in het gezin op het probleemgedrag van het kind op het kinderdagverblijf. Daarnaast werd onderzocht of het temperament van het kind hierin een modererende rol heeft. Uit de regressieanalyses bleek dat de kwaliteit van de thuisomgeving, sensitiviteit en desorganisatie in het gezin geen voorspellers van probleemgedrag waren. Temperament was in deze studie geen moderator.Wel werden er significante correlaties gevonden tussen sensitiviteit van de ouder en kwaliteit van de thuisomgeving, tussen temperament en desorganisatie in het gezin, en tussen temperament en sensitiviteit van de ouder. Beperkingen van deze studie zijn dat de steekproef niet representatief is voor de populatie. De steekproef bestond vooral uit hoogopgeleide Nederlandse gezinnen,waardoor er op de scores van de variabelen weinig spreiding was. Daarnaast werden sommige kinderen maar twee dagen op het kinderdagverblijf opgevangen en werkten niet alle pedagogisch medewerkers full-time. Het is voor pedagogisch medewerkers erg moeilijk om te rapporteren over het probleemgedrag van een kind dat ze niet alle dagen zien. Hoewel gebruik werd gemaakt van informatie verzameld op het kinderdagverblijf (probleemgedrag) en informatie verzameld bij gezinnen thuis (temperament), is het voor vervolgonderzoek tot slot aan te raden het temperament en het probleemgedrag te laten rapporteren door ouders én professionals.Show less
