Dyadic reciprocity in the emerging relationship between low-income African American mothers and their toddlers
Abstract
The present study will adopt a dual focus: on the description of dyadic reciprocity among mother-child dyads and on the antecedents proposed to influence its development. As research on the nature of dyadic reciprocity as the means of parent-child interaction among African American families is lacking, the first set of goals will be to provide descriptive data on reciprocity in a comprehensive framework for this sample. The second set of goals examined questions regarding individual differences in the development of early reciprocity. Child characteristics, such as temperament, maternal characteristics, such as personality and depression, and dyadic characteristics, such as attachment, were all expected to impact the development of reciprocal interactions. Results are discussed in the contexts of the cultural validity of the dyadic reciprocity construct and potential uses of dyadic reciprocity in early intervention services.
Degree
Ph. D.
Thesis Department
Rights
OpenAccess.