A prospective study of 38 mothers with IQs less than 75 and 27 mothers
with IQs over 85 who were also low income was conducted. This study w
as designed to distinguish between children's developmental risk assoc
iated with maternal disability and risk related primarily to poverty.
Findings from administration of the HOME inventory showed that mothers
with intellectual limitations had significantly lower scores, indicat
ing greater developmental risk for their children due to environmental
deprivation. Most of the variance between groups was found on the int
eraction subscale. This suggests that strategies focused on interactio
n will be beneficial in assisting mothers with intellectual limitation
s in raising their children.