Marriage, Parenting, And Toddler Development: Relationships Among Mother-father-child In The Family System.

Abstract

The present study was designed to examine toddler development in the context of the family system, focusing on the role of marriage quality in parent-child research. A theoretical orientation was presented which integrated family systems theory with developmental psychology. Subjects were 75 families with one child. The children, 40 boys and 35 girls, were 20 months old. Toddlers were observed twice, separately with their mothers and fathers, in a laboratory playroom setting. Observations were also conducted of family triadic interaction. Multiple techniques (behavioral observations, questionnaires) were used to appraise relationships among mother-father-toddler. Previously validated, standardized measures (e.g., the Strange Situation, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale) were used along with instruments designed for the present study. The results revealed that all 3 systems, the marriage, parenting, and child, are highly related for fathers, while only the marriage-parenting variables correlated consistently for mothers (there was less variance in mothers' scores than fathers' scores). For both mothers and fathers, results of an ECTA analysis showed a significant relationship between marital quality and security of child-parent attachment. Toddler behavior in a problem-solving task was also related to marital quality, but only for fathers. Marital quality and sensitive parenting attitudes related positively for mothers and fathers. Regression analyses showed that, for fathers, marriage exerts its effects on he child largely through an indirect path, mediated by parenting attitudes and behaviors. For mothers, marital quality explained little variance in child outcomes. While the early parenting years are not an easy time for marriages, analysis of intramarital characteristics (e.g., sex-stereotypy, time with spouse and child) indicated that egalitarian relationships fared best. Finally, empirical support was found for adopting a multimethod approach to the study of marriage, parenting, and child development. These findings underscore the need to include both mothers and fathers and the relationship between them in parent-child research. All aspects of the family system must be considered to unravel the complexities in family interaction.