Associations between mother-child interaction and children's later self and mother feature knowledge

Associations between mother-child interaction at 12 months and children's f eature knowledge of self and mother at 20 months were investigated in 81 dy ads. Mother-Child interaction was assessed by scales adapted from the Paren t Child Early Relational Assessment (1985). Self- and mother knowledge were assessed by Self- and Mother Feature Knowledge Scales. Associations were f ound between mother-child interaction and later self- and mother feature kn owledge. Maternal behavior characterized by positive affect and sensitive r esponsiveness and child behavior characterized by positive affect, responsi ve ness, and balanced attention between mother and environment were related to a more complex knowledge of self and mother. On sensorimotor items chil dren knew more about self than about mother while on representational items children knew more about mother than about self. The findings support the view that more harmonious interactions are related to more complex self- an d mother feature knowledge.