A Study on the Predictability of the Maternal Attitude from Preschooler's Temperament and Mother's Mental Stability

유아 기질과 어머니 심리적 안정성의 양육태도 설명력에 관한 연구

This study was performed was performed to identify the predictability of maternal attitude from infant's temperament and mother's mental stability. It was focused on the comparison of the degree of predictability between infant's temperament and mother's mental stability. Data were collected from sixty-five mothers of infants. Mother's affective attitude was explained by both the maternal mental stability and the infant's temperament. After controlling the effect of mental stability, infant's temperament could explain the affective attitude. This result meant that infant's temperament showed the powerful effect on the maternal affective attitude. However, maternal controlling attitude was only explained by her mental stability but not by infant's temperament. This meant that infant's temperament could not explain mother's controlling behavior. However, interactive effect between infant's sex and temperament was found in the controlling attitude. Mothers showed more controlling attitude toward the difficult boys but not toward the difficult girls.