Relations between teenagers' age, knowledge, expectations and maternal behaviour

Abstract

The maternal behaviour of 105 teenage mothers ranging in age from 16 to 22 years was studied in order to identify characteristic interactions and the relationship of these with the mothers' age, their knowledge of child development and their maturity of expectations about parental roles. The mothers' age, knowledge of child development, and maturity of expectations were related to their interactive behaviours. Younger teenage mothers had correspondingly less knowledge of child development, less mature expectations of the maternal role and tended to be more ‘controlling’ and ‘non‐verbal’; older teenage mothers had more knowledge of child development and tended to be more ‘reciprocal’ and ‘stimulating’ in their interactions with infants. Mental health implications for teenage parenting, child care and social policy are discussed.