Scientific Report 2017

Overview

Human parenting has been the focus of research for almost four decades now. However, extant research has analysed global constructs such as parenting style and has focused less on predictors of parenting or until recently, on the multifaceted nature of parenting. The present project, proposes a multilevel analysis of potential maternal and child predictors of parenting. In addition, a micro-analytic approach on parenting behaviors is guiding our approach. Since toddlerhood is a demanding time for parents, we focus our project on this critical developmental period. The first objective of the project is to investigate, on a longitudinal sequence, from 10-12 months to 30-32 months of child's age, the factors affecting parenting. We will analyse maternal genetic, cognitive, emotional, temperamental factors and predisposition to psychopathology as potential predictors of parenting. We will also consider child-related genetical, temperamental variables and child predisposition for psychopathology as potential predictors for parenting, in relation to maternal variables. The second objective is to offer a finer grained analysis of parenting behaviors by means of micro-analytics observations of major categories of maternal behaviours. The third, objective, is to analyse, via eye-tracking, maternal attentional biases to one's own child positive and negative emotions, using video samples of mother-child interactions. This new and original paradigm can be of great value given the scarcity of studies on gaze allocation to dynamic situations or to dynamic expressions of emotions.

Expected results

This project will provide new and more ecological experimental paradigms in studying the anatomy of parenting behaviors. Specifically, we will adapt observational procedures and coding schemes for the assessment of maternal mind-mindness, maternal regulatory strategies of child positive and negative emotional expression, maternal disciplinary strategies, maternal negative control, maternal tolerance to child’s distress and maternal sensitivity. Moreover, for the assessment of micro-level cognitive processes, namely attentional biases to one's own child emotions, we will develop a new experimental paradigm based on eye-tracking technology using video samples of mother-child interactions. This paradigm will be sensitive in capturing individual differences in overt and covert visual attention in relation to emotional relevant stimuli such as one's own child emotions and in delineating the time course and components of these attentional biases. In addition, by analyzing polymorphisms of susceptibility genes of the key neurochemical systems associated with maternal behavior for both mother and child, we will contribute by offering new empirical data to the recent developed theoretical approach regarding genetic underpinnings of sensitive parenting. Finally, by using a longitudinal design we will provide valuable information regarding the stability and changes of our findings.