Maternal Locus Of Control Research Articles

The relation between maternal locus of control and coping styles of pediatric leukemia patients during treatment.

The present study focuses on the relation between coping strategies of children with leukemia during treatment and locus of control of their mothers. In particular, the study aims to determine whether maternal locus of control can influence sick children’s coping styles, and if this relation can be used to predict maladjustments. The study analyzed a cohort of 60 pediatric leukemia patients undergoing treatment and a group formed by their mothers. The participants were recruited from two Pediatric Onco- Hematology Units in Italy. The Child Behavioral Style Scale (CBSS) was used to assess children’s coping strategies, whereas the Parental Health Locus of Control Scale (PHLCS) was employed to analyze maternal locus of control. A linear regression model was applied to verify a possible interdependent relationship between children’s coping styles and maternal locus of control. The differences in mean CBSS scores were analyzed by K-S test. Multivariate analysis of variance was performed to assess any potential effect of child’s gender, hospital context and maternal socio-cultural status on children’s coping strategies. Our results show a significant relationship between children’s coping strategies and maternal locus of control. In particular, the scales mass media, fate and healthcare professionals display a predictive effect on children’s monitoring coping style, given the positive correlation observed (F=3.28, P=0.008). In contrast, the same scales negatively correlate with blunting coping style (F=3.5, P=0.005). Our results reveal several interesting resources having a profound impact on the psychological functioning of children with leukemia undergoing treatment as well as their mothers. Furthermore, with regard to the central hypothesis of the study, our findings show both positive and negative correlations between specific scales of maternal locus of control and children’s coping style, which could be used to predict children at risk of emotional maladjustment.

Maternal Locus of Control in Pregnancy and Reading and Spelling Abilities of the Offspring: A Longitudinal Birth Cohort Study.

Maternal locus of control (LOC) as measured in pregnancy has been shown to be associated with parenting attitudes and behaviors as well as with children’s comprehension of mathematical and scientific concepts. The present study evaluates whether the child’s emergent literacy skills are similarly associated with maternal LOC: i.e., do children of prenatally externally oriented mothers perform less well on literacy tasks compared with their peers whose mothers are prenatally internally oriented. Prenatal measures collected within a United Kingdom birth cohort (ALSPAC) including a maternal LOC measure together with behavior and lifestyle details were analyzed. Later in childhood, offspring at ages 7 and 9 were tested by ALSPAC for spelling, phoneme awareness, reading comprehension, speed and accuracy. All achievement test scores showed a deficit among children of prenatally externally oriented mothers as compared to children of internally controlled women. Further analysis found that differences in diet, lifestyle and mother/child activities mediated approximately 60% of the deficit between children of external and internal mothers. A sensitivity analysis using national reading test results demonstrated similar results with these children. If further research confirms a causal relationship, programs to increase internality in adolescent girls or newly pregnant women may result in long-term benefits to their future offspring.

Maternal self esteem and Locus of Controlrelates to the quiality of young children’s environment (HOME) in Rural Andhra Pradesh, India: Research and policy implications

The Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) scale has been shown to be a significant predictor of later cognitive outcomes in many cultures. Therefore identifying factors associated with HOME could be used to promote child development. Maternal psychological well-being is often overlooked although critical in the creation of quality in the home environment. This study examined associations between maternal well-being and HOME using a data set of South Indian rural mothers and infants to test the hypothesis that mothers with internal Locus of Control (LOC) and higher self-esteem (SE) will have a more stimulating home environment than mothers with an external LOC and lower SE, controlling maternal education, depression and SES as potential confounders. Results indicated significant association between maternal SE and LOC and HOME even after controlling for SES and maternal education. The paper examines factors associated with maternal LOC and SE, and argues that programs and policies must consider maternal well-being in interventions for improving child development.

Maternal Depressive Symptomatology and Parenting Behavior: Exploration of Possible Mediators

Possible mediators of the relation between maternal depressive symptomatology and parenting behavior were examined for 96 children with ADHD and their mothers drawn from the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD (MTA) as part of an add-on investigation conducted by two of the six MTA sites. General cognitions (i.e., maternal locus of control and self-esteem) and parenting-specific factors (i.e., maternal parenting efficacy and parenting stress) were examined as possible mediators. Findings provide initial support that maternal parenting stress, as well as maternal locus of control and self-esteem mediate the relation between maternal depressive symptomatology and parenting behavior. This provides support for the argument that some families of children with ADHD may benefit from an expanded version of parent management training that includes sessions directly targeting affective and cognitive factors in parents, similar to treatment programs used to treat childhood conduct problems.

The impact of clinical management type on maternal locus of control in pregnant women with pre-labour rupture of membranes at term

The impact of clinical management type on maternal locus of control in pregnant women with pre-labour rupture of membranes at term

Mother and teacher reports of behaviour and perceived self-competence of children with hydrocephalus.

The present study was designed to explore the social and behavioural functioning of children with hydrocephalus. The sample comprised 14 children with hydrocephalus (without spina bifida) and 14 controls with no history of neurological impairment matched for age and gender. Children were asked to report on their self-perceptions of academic and physical competence and on peer and maternal acceptance. In addition, mothers and teachers provided reports of the behavioural adjustment of both groups and mothers completed a questionnaire measuring locus of control orientation. Mothers of children with hydrocephalus also responded to a series of open-ended questions, their thoughts and feelings about the experience of having a child with hydrocephalus. Analyses of the data revealed that there was no difference in the self-perceptions of the two groups of children, although there was a trend for children with hydrocephalus to rate themselves as being lower in physical competence. There was a clear association between the presence of hydrocephalus and behaviour problems, with evidence of internalising and externalising problems being evident in the reports of both mothers and teachers, although the extent of agreement between the two informants was low. Maternal locus of control was related to behaviour problems in children with hydrocephalus, with a more external orientation being related to more behaviour problems. It is suggested that future researchers need to 1) focus on children's behaviour in context, 2) solicit data from a range of informants and 3) consider the complex transactions between biological and psychological factors to gain a fuller understanding of how hydrocephalus shapes children's development.

Relationships among Maternal Locus of Control, Prenatal Sources of Infant Feeding Information, and Infant Feeding Choices

Ninety-eight women were recruited for the study during their third trimester of pregnancy from private obstetrical practices. Each subject was asked to complete a demographic survey, a questionnaire on sources of infant feeding information, and an instrument which assessed locus of control (Generalized Expectancies for Internal Versus External Locus of Control, Rotter). Of the 89 subjects who completed the study, 30 planned to breastfeed, 28 planned to formula-feed, and 31 planned to feed a combination of breast milk and formula during the first month postpartum. Subjects’ ages ranged from 16 to 39 years. Ninety-eight percent of the participants were white and 62% had at least some college education. The three groups were not statistically different in age (p>.05) and education (p=.05). Locus of control scores were not statistically different among women in the three groups (p>.05). The most frequently cited sources of infant feeding information were health care providers (82%) and reading materials (82%). At least two-thirds of subjects indicated they had received information from family (75%) and/or friends (73%). There were no significant differences in information sources used by women in the three groups. Overall, subjects initiated the interaction more frequently with family (73%) and friends (73%) than with health care providers (30%). Although previous research suggests those with an external locus of control are more likely to initiate health education, the present study found no relationship between maternal locus of control and initiation of infant feeding discussions. Additional research is needed to explore strategies dietitians and other health care professionals can utilize to optimize breastfeeding promotion and education activities during the prenatal period.

Maternal Involvement in Residential Day Treatment

This study investigated the relationship between maternal locus of control and maternal involvement in children's residential day treatment and found that mothers who believed in their power to effect change were more involved. Implications for practice are explored.

Teaching interactions of black and Cuban teenage mothers and their infants

Possible factors related to maternal teaching styles are socioeconomic status, ethnic group membership, maternal age, maternal locus of control, and the mother's “hidden agenda” or goals for her child. In this study, 32 lower income, Black and Cuban, teenage and adult mothers and their 12 month old infants participated in a simple task teaching their infant how to operate a “Jack‐in‐the‐box”. The mothers were also interviewed on questionnaires designed to tap locus of control, “hidden agendas”, and demographic characteristics. The results showed that Cuban mothers demonstrated the task to their infant with verbalization significantly more often than the Black mothers. The groups did not differ on maternal “hidden agendas”. Adult mothers showed a more internal locus of control than teenage mothers. Infants of Black, teenage mothers vocalized significantly less often than infants of the other groups. Results of this study provide additional support for existing literature in which maternal age and cultural ...