Association of teen mothers’ and grandmothers’ parenting capacities with child development: A study protocol

Abstract

Children born to teen mothers may experience less responsive and supportive parenting and are at heightened risk for a range of social, developmental, and health issues. There is literature to support the positive impact of grandmothers on teen parents and their children. However, what if the teen’s mother is also limited in her parenting capacities? How do parenting capacities across these two generations of mothers affect the developing child? In this ongoing study we are examining two important aspects of parenting capacities, attachment quality and executive functioning, in teen mothers (TM) and their biological, co- residing mothers or grandmothers (GM or GGM). Both are essential components of effective parenting, but little is known about their impact on young children’s development when raised by two generations of parents. In a cross- sectional, descriptive design, a convenience sample of 50 TM/GM dyads with children 1 to 3 years old is being recruited from two urban teen-tot clinics. Participants complete a paper-and-pencil measure of attachment quality and a computerized measure of multiple aspects of executive function (working memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility). A standardized maternal report measure is used to assess child developmental status. The biggest challenges of the study thus far include recruitment and transience of the study population. Progress to date and experiences from recruitment and data collection are discussed, as well as successful strategies to address challenges.

Family and Social Support System in Reducing Neonatal Morbidity and Mortality among Neonates Born To Adolescent Mothers

“…This finding was also reported in a study where the adolescent mothers maintained that if it were not for their grandmothers and aunties, life would have been impossible to manage when caring for their newborns [12]. This finding was further supported by findings in another study that examined the grandmothers" capacities to care for the neonates and noted that grandmothers impacted positively in the adolescents" neonatal care period [13].…”

Linkage between teen mother’s childhood adversity and externalizing behaviors in their children at age 11: Three aspects of parenting

“…Teen mothers face a number of challenges, including transitioning into a new role with increased responsibilities. Well documented in prior studies, premature entry into the role of mother has a range of correlates, including poor parenting behaviors, less interaction with their child, and less positive in their parenting style Lee & Guterman, 2010;Wilson, Gross, Hodgkinson, & Deater-Deckard, 2017). This may be partly due to their young age and lower cognitive readiness for parenting .…”

“…We did not have the statistical power to look at differences by caregiver type, but this is an important factor to explore in future studies, as shared adversities between a grandparent and teen mother could create support challenges. Since teen mothers rely heavily on an extended network of support for parenting, experiencing an unhealthy relationship with their 'grandparents' may lead to compromised developmental outcomes in children (Wilson et al, 2017).…”

Motor Development of Preschool Children Congenital Exposed to Zika Virus Without Microcephaly

“…This nding contradicts existing studies and highlights the need for further research on this topic. 19,20 The results of this research indicate that, overall, children who were exposed to ZIKV had good scores in gross and ne motor skills. This was observed both in the original classi cation of the MABC-2 assessment instrument and when compared to previous studies conducted in Brazil.…”