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Article
A Comparison of Maternal Attachment between American Adolescent and Adult Mothers of Preschoolers
Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences
  • Ratchaneewan Ross, Kent State University
  • JoAnne M. Youngblut, Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Florida International University
Date of this Version
5-23-2014
Document Type
Article
Abstract

American adolescent mothers have been viewed as less effective parents than adult mothers. The socioeconomic disadvantages of adolescent mothers should be taken into account. The objectives of this study were to compare maternal attachment between adolescent and adult mothers of preschoolers and to examine changes of adolescents’ maternal attachment over time. A secondary analysis of data from a larger study of maternal employment and low birth weight infant outcomes were used. Data were collected through home visits using structured questionnaires at two different time points. Forty-three pairs of adolescent and adult mothers who could be matched on family structure, maternal race, and child’s gestational status were compared on maternal attachment. The 7-item Attachment subscale of the Parenting Stress Index was used to measure maternal attachment. Results revealed that the adolescent mothers were not less attached to their preschoolers than the adults. This held true when important confounding factors were taken into account using multiple regression.

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Author's Accepted Manuscript

The publisher's final edited version of this article is available at Thai J Nurs Res

Citation Information
Ratchaneewan Ross and JoAnne M. Youngblut. "A Comparison of Maternal Attachment between American Adolescent and Adult Mothers of Preschoolers" (2014)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/joanne-youngblut/50/