Department of Psychology, Miami University.
J Fam Psychol. 2022 Feb;36(1):92-101. doi: 10.1037/fam0000877. Epub 2021 May 24.
This current study examined maternal characteristics that predict the use of overprotective parenting in mothers of toddlers. Maternal respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) reactivity was tested as a moderator of the relation between maternal anxiety and overprotective parentig. Mothers ( = 151) and their 2-year-old toddlers participated in a laboratory visit and returned for a follow-up visit 1 year later. At child age 2, mothers reported their own anxiety. Mothers' RSA reactivity was measured between a resting baseline and a standardized laboratory task, and overprotective parenting was observed in that task. Toddler fearful temperament (FT) was observed in a separate standardized task as well as reported by mothers. At child age 3, mothers' overprotective parenting behaviors were observed according to the same procedures so change from age 2 could be measured. Results revealed that maternal anxiety and maternal RSA at age 2 interacted to predict relative increases in overprotective parenting behaviors at age 3. At low levels of RSA reactivity, reflecting RSA suppression, maternal anxiety predicted lower levels of overprotective parenting. At high levels of RSA reactivity, reflecting RSA augmentation, maternal anxiety predicted higher levels of overprotective parenting. Our results suggest that RSA suppression may protect mothers with anxiety symptoms from engaging in overprotective parenting, whereas RSA augmentation may put mothers with anxiety symptoms at risk for engaging in overprotective parenting. Findings indicate that the interaction of multiple parental traits should be considered when working with parents and families on parenting behavior. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
本研究考察了预测幼儿期母亲过度保护养育行为的母亲特征。作为母亲焦虑与过度保护养育关系的调节因素，检测了母亲呼吸窦性心律失常（RSA）反应性。母亲（n=151）及其 2 岁的幼儿参加了实验室访问，并在 1 年后进行了随访。在幼儿 2 岁时，母亲报告了自己的焦虑。母亲的 RSA 反应性在休息基线和标准化实验室任务之间进行了测量，并且在该任务中观察到了过度保护的养育行为。在另一个标准化任务中观察到了幼儿的恐惧气质（FT），并且也由母亲报告。在幼儿 3 岁时，根据相同的程序观察到了母亲的过度保护养育行为，因此可以测量从 2 岁到 3 岁的变化。结果表明，母亲焦虑和母亲在 2 岁时的 RSA 相互作用，预测了 3 岁时过度保护养育行为的相对增加。在 RSA 反应性低的情况下，反映了 RSA 抑制，母亲的焦虑预测了较低水平的过度保护养育。在 RSA 反应性高的情况下，反映了 RSA 增强，母亲的焦虑预测了更高水平的过度保护养育。我们的研究结果表明，RSA 抑制可能会使患有焦虑症状的母亲避免过度保护养育，而 RSA 增强可能会使患有焦虑症状的母亲有过度保护养育的风险。研究结果表明，在与父母和家庭一起关注养育行为时，应考虑多种父母特征的相互作用。（PsycInfo 数据库记录（c）2022 APA，保留所有权利）。
