Mothers’, Fathers’, and Children’s Other Caregivers’ Socioemotional Caregiving Practices and Early Childhood Development in 51 Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Abstract

This study examined children’s mothers’, fathers’ and other caregivers’ socioemotional parenting practices in 159,959 families with 3- to 4-year-olds from 51 low-and-middle income countries. Mothers engaged in the most socioemotional caregiving practices, followed by other caregivers and then fathers. The more socioemotional caregiving practices mothers engaged in, the more fathers engaged in, but the fewer other caregivers engaged in. The higher the level of national development, the more likely it is that mothers and fathers, but the less likely it is that other caregivers, engaged in socioemotional caregiving practices. Nations with mothers who engaged in more socioemotional caregiving practices had children who demonstrated more advanced development. At the within-country level, the more that all three caregivers engaged in socioemotional caregiving practices, the greater was children’s development.