NCJ Number
205961
Journal
Journal of Emotional Abuse Volume: 4 Issue: 1 Dated: 2004 Pages: 85-104
Editor(s)
Robert Geffner Ph.D.,
Marti Loring Ph.D.
Date Published
2004
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This study sought to verify whether adolescent mothers living with their children in a group home displayed greater parental sensitivity towards their infants than adolescent mothers having the same profile but not living in a group home.
Abstract
Research has found that adolescent mothers, because of their conditions and life history, are at greater risk of neglecting and/or abusing their children, who, if victimized are at greater risk of developing a conduct behavior disorder. The study was part of a broader research program aimed at providing a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying intergenerational transmission of social adjustment difficulties. The goal of the study was to verify whether adolescent mothers living with their children in a group home displayed greater parental sensitivity toward their infants than adolescent mothers having the same profile but not living in a group home. Data were obtained from 96 French-speaking Canadian adolescent mothers who were pregnant with their first child or who had an infant less than 2 months of age; one-third (n=33) of the mothers were living in group homes. The remainder of the participants (n=63) were divided into 2 comparison groups: those with a conduct disorder diagnosis (n=34) and those without a diagnosis (n=29). Each participant completed a questionnaire at home, at school, or in the group home, and each mother-child relationship was videotaped in a room with three hidden cameras. Analysis of the data found that the proportion of sensitive mothers was greater among the adolescents living in group homes (29 percent) than among the group of adolescent mothers with a conduct disorder diagnosis who did not live in group homes during the first 4 months of their children’s lives. In addition, the number of unresponsive mother/passive child relationships in group homes (25 percent) did not differ from the number in the non-conduct disorder school group (33.3 percent), but both were lower than the number of such relationships in the conduct disorder school group (60.7 percent). Finally, the number of controlling mothers did not differ from one group to another. These results confirm the existence of a well-recognized link between parental psychopathology and parenting, and also show a link between conduct disorder and parental sensitivity among adolescent mothers. Study limitations and implications for future work are discussed. 5 tables and 52 references