CHILD-REARING ATTITUDES AMONG PARENTS OF VERY-LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT AND NORMAL BIRTH-WEIGHT CHILDREN

The childrearing attitudes of parents of school-age children born at w eights under 1500 g (VLBW) were compared with those of parents of age- and gender-matched children born at full term (NEW) to determine whet her there were systematic differences between the two groups and wheth er parental attitudes were associated with child outcomes. Parents com pleted a self-report measure of childrearing attitudes and provided in formation on the child's health since birth. The children were given m easures of IQ and self-concept, and their teachers rated their social and academic competence. Neonatal morbidity and subsequent need for ho spitalization were unrelated to parental attitudes. Parents of VLBW ch ildren reported less use of guilt as a control strategy. They were als o less child-centered, particularly if their children had chronic resp iratory or ear-nose-throat problems. Greater parental warmth, less con trol through guilt, and less parental detachment were associated with more socially competent behavior and more positive self-concept in 9-y ear-old VLBW children.