Psychosocial functioning of mothers of malnourished children.

The relationship between infant malnutrition and maternal psychosocial behavior was explored by comparing mothers of malnourished children with mother whose children were matched for age and family income but were not malnourished. The mothers were interviewed and asked to describe their relationships with their children, their children's fathers, extended families, friends, and employers. The mothers of malnourished children described more chronically disrupted lives. Their housing conditions and employment records reflected disorganization. They had fewer social contacts except with extended families who supervised excessively. The fathers of their babies were either not present or unsupportive. Relationships were more stereotyped, transient, and focused on material aspects. The mothers narcissistic concerns took precedence over the needs of their children. Nearly all the mothers, including the controls, had suffered severe deprivation in childhood. Some mothers of malnourished children were apathetic and dependent, whereas others were manipulative and evasive. These findings were consistent with those previously described for mothers of children with "failure-to-thrive" in affluent countries.