Mothers' and fathers' sensitivity and children's cognitive development in low-income, rural families

W. Roger Mills-Koonce; Michael T. Willoughby; Bharathi Zvara; Melissa Barnett; Hanna Gustafsson; Martha J. Cox

doi:10.1016/j.appdev.2015.01.001

Mothers' and fathers' sensitivity and children's cognitive development in low-income, rural families

W. Roger Mills-Koonce
, Michael T. Willoughby
, Bharathi Zvara
, Melissa Barnett
, Hanna Gustafsson
, Martha J. Cox

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

102 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study examines associations between maternal and paternal sensitive parenting and child cognitive development across the first 3. years of life using longitudinal data from 630 families with co-residing biological mothers and fathers. Sensitive parenting was measured by observational coding of parent-child interactions and child cognitive development was assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence. There were multiple direct and indirect associations between parenting and cognitive development across mothers and fathers, suggesting primary effects, carry-forward effects, spillover effects across parents, and transactional effects across parents and children. Associations between parenting and cognitive development were statistically consistent across mothers and fathers, and the cumulative effects of early parenting on later cognitive development were comparable to the effects of later parenting on later cognitive development. As interpreted through a family systems framework, findings suggest additive and interdependent effects across parents and children.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1-10
Number of pages	10
Journal	Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology
Volume	38
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2015.01.001
State	Published - May 1 2015
Externally published	Yes

Funding

The Family Life Project Key Investigators include Lynne Vernon-Feagans, Martha J. Cox, Clancy Blair, Peg Burchinal, Linda Burton, Keith Crnic, Ann Crouter, Patricia Garrett-Peters, Mark Greenberg, Stephanie Lanza, W. Roger Mills-Koonce, Debra Skinner, Cynthia Stifter, Emily Werner, and Michael Willoughby. Support for this research was provided by National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Grant P01 HD39667 , with cofounding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse . We would like to thank the many families and research assistants who made this study possible.

Funders	Funder number
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development	P01 HD39667
National Institute on Drug Abuse

Keywords

Cognitive development
Fathers
Longitudinal analyses
Mothers
Parenting
Sensitivity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Developmental and Educational Psychology

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10.1016/j.appdev.2015.01.001

Cite this

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title = "Mothers' and fathers' sensitivity and children's cognitive development in low-income, rural families",

abstract = "This study examines associations between maternal and paternal sensitive parenting and child cognitive development across the first 3. years of life using longitudinal data from 630 families with co-residing biological mothers and fathers. Sensitive parenting was measured by observational coding of parent-child interactions and child cognitive development was assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence. There were multiple direct and indirect associations between parenting and cognitive development across mothers and fathers, suggesting primary effects, carry-forward effects, spillover effects across parents, and transactional effects across parents and children. Associations between parenting and cognitive development were statistically consistent across mothers and fathers, and the cumulative effects of early parenting on later cognitive development were comparable to the effects of later parenting on later cognitive development. As interpreted through a family systems framework, findings suggest additive and interdependent effects across parents and children.",

keywords = "Cognitive development, Fathers, Longitudinal analyses, Mothers, Parenting, Sensitivity",

author = "\{Roger Mills-Koonce\}, W. and Willoughby, \{Michael T.\} and Bharathi Zvara and Melissa Barnett and Hanna Gustafsson and Cox, \{Martha J.\}",

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doi = "10.1016/j.appdev.2015.01.001",

language = "English (US)",

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T1 - Mothers' and fathers' sensitivity and children's cognitive development in low-income, rural families

AU - Roger Mills-Koonce, W.

AU - Willoughby, Michael T.

AU - Zvara, Bharathi

AU - Barnett, Melissa

AU - Gustafsson, Hanna

AU - Cox, Martha J.

PY - 2015/5/1

Y1 - 2015/5/1

N2 - This study examines associations between maternal and paternal sensitive parenting and child cognitive development across the first 3. years of life using longitudinal data from 630 families with co-residing biological mothers and fathers. Sensitive parenting was measured by observational coding of parent-child interactions and child cognitive development was assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence. There were multiple direct and indirect associations between parenting and cognitive development across mothers and fathers, suggesting primary effects, carry-forward effects, spillover effects across parents, and transactional effects across parents and children. Associations between parenting and cognitive development were statistically consistent across mothers and fathers, and the cumulative effects of early parenting on later cognitive development were comparable to the effects of later parenting on later cognitive development. As interpreted through a family systems framework, findings suggest additive and interdependent effects across parents and children.

AB - This study examines associations between maternal and paternal sensitive parenting and child cognitive development across the first 3. years of life using longitudinal data from 630 families with co-residing biological mothers and fathers. Sensitive parenting was measured by observational coding of parent-child interactions and child cognitive development was assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence. There were multiple direct and indirect associations between parenting and cognitive development across mothers and fathers, suggesting primary effects, carry-forward effects, spillover effects across parents, and transactional effects across parents and children. Associations between parenting and cognitive development were statistically consistent across mothers and fathers, and the cumulative effects of early parenting on later cognitive development were comparable to the effects of later parenting on later cognitive development. As interpreted through a family systems framework, findings suggest additive and interdependent effects across parents and children.

KW - Cognitive development

KW - Fathers

KW - Longitudinal analyses

KW - Mothers

KW - Parenting

KW - Sensitivity

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DO - 10.1016/j.appdev.2015.01.001

M3 - Article

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ER -

Mothers' and fathers' sensitivity and children's cognitive development in low-income, rural families

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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