The prematurity stereotype revisited: Impact on mothers' interactions with premature and full-term infants

Abstract

Research exploring the effects of labeling on maternal perceptions and behaviors was extended by simultaneously examining the cognitive and behavioral effects of prematurity stereotyping with both mothers of full-term and premature infants, and by examining the effects of an information-based intervention on the stereotyped responses of mothers of premature infants. An experimental design wherein mothers of both full-term and premature infants were randomly assigned to interact with, and then rate, either a full-term or premature infant who was described as either full-term or premature was employed to test several hypotheses. Two hypotheses related to prematurity stereotyping received support: mothers showed more positive responses to infants labeled full-term than to infants labeled premature, and mothers of full-term infants exhibited more prematurity stereotyping than did mothers of premature infants. The hypothesis concerning gender effects also was supported, with mothers showing more positive responses to male infants than to female infants. In contrast to expectations, a brief cognitive intervention provided to some mothers of premature infants failed to reduce stereotyping, and, indeed, appeared to increase stereotyping. These results are compared with the results of previous studies, most of which did not include actual interactions between mothers and infants, and the implications of these results are considered. © 2000 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.