Mothering in context: Ecological determinants of parent behavior

How characteristics of parents, children, and the family context relate to mothers' parenting were explored in a sample of 73 mothers and their 5- to 7-year-old children. Maternal authoritativeness was significantly correlate d with retrospective attachment security, social support, marital satisfact ion, prosocial child behavior, and socioeconomic status. Although these con structs were interrelated, concurrently-assessed parent, child, and context ual-level variables also had unique and significant relations with parentin g. Mothers who experienced many stressors stemming from their personal adju stment, social relationships, and children's behaviors were more likely to demonstrate insensitivity during parent-child interactions than participant s reporting fewer stressors. Mediated pathways among these theorized predic tors of parenting were explored, and findings were generally consistent wit h Belsky's (1984) process model of parenting.