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Number of Children Associated with Mothers’ Perceived Need for Behavior Support: Implications for Parenting Interventions

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Abstract

Researchers acknowledge mothers’ contributing role in influencing children’s behavioral displays of emotion, but there is a dearth in the literature on mothers’ emotion-related behaviors, beliefs, and needs. Urban, Head Start Mothers (n = 114) participated in a quantitative, exploratory investigation to examine child, maternal and community factors that may be associated with level of expressiveness, perceived role in emotional development, and receptivity to behavior support. Findings suggested that, compared to mothers raising two or more children, those raising only one child were significantly less positive in self-reported expressiveness, less supportive of the suggested role of mothers in the literature, and less receptive to parent-focused behavior support. Implications for acknowledging possibly distinct needs of Head Start mothers of singletons as well as seeking input from more experienced Head Start mothers in devising parenting interventions will be discussed.

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Acknowledgments

Special thanks to Dr. Joan A. Lieber for her feedback and support, and to the Head Start staff and families who participated in this study.

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  1. Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, 30328, USA

    Nicole Megan Edwards

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  1. Nicole Megan Edwards
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Correspondence to Nicole Megan Edwards.

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Edwards, N.M. Number of Children Associated with Mothers’ Perceived Need for Behavior Support: Implications for Parenting Interventions. J Child Fam Stud 23, 527–536 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-013-9712-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-013-9712-7

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