Introduction
The article under discussion entitled “Maternal stress and sensitivity: Moderating effect of positive affect” dwells upon the impact of maternal positive affect on maternal sensitivity and stress. Smith and Stephens (2018) examine the longitudinal influence of mothers’ positive affect on parental stress and their sensitivity. The researchers find no correlation between parental stress and maternal stress if the former is high, while there is a link between maternal sensitivity and positive affect.
Main body
Smith and Stephens (2018) claim that parental stress and its negative impact on children’s development have been acknowledged. However, it is still unclear whether mothers’ positive affect could have a moderating influence on parental stress and maternal sensitivity. The authors conceptualized parental stress in terms of such elements as child, parent, and relationship characteristics. The maternal positive effect is regarded as positive emotions expressed by mothers during observed interactions with children. This aspect is seen as instrumental in building more resource reserves to develop proper relationships with the child and ensure positive interactions.
The study involved 116 mother-child dyads when the children were 4-5 years old and 93 mother-child dyads when the children were 8-9 years old. The vast majority of the participants were European American, married or living with the child’s father, middle class, and held a college degree or higher. The mothers who took part in the research completed Parenting Stress Index-short Form. After that, the researchers observed a free play of a mother and a child. A hierarchical regression analysis was utilized to explore the impact of maternal positive affect on parenting stress and maternal sensitivity.
It was found that maternal sensitivity at a child’s younger age predicted mothers’ sensitivity with 8-9-year-olds. Maternal positive affect had a moderating impact on the relation between parenting stress and mother sensitivity, but the link between maternal positive affect and parenting stress was not identified. At that, if the mother’s positive affect was low with a 4-5-year-old child, it was low with 8-9-year-old as well. Smith and Stephens (2018) note that positive emotions support mothers’ adoptive parenting. Although mothers still experience stress, they have the resources to express high sensitivity and ensure proper interactions with children. The authors emphasize that longitudinal data contribute to the existing literature and provide insights into the role emotions play in the development of mother-child relationships and interactions.
The primary limitation of this study is the homogeneous sample and the focus on a single factor related to stress. The researchers concentrated on stress based on mother-child dysfunctional interactions, while other factors such as economic issues, parenting style, health conditions, and others were not considered. The focus on positive affect as a single strength-based variable is another limitation because other factors (such as parenting style) could be influential as well. However, the authors also note that the suggested strength-based approach is a viable framework that can be used when analyzing stress and parenting.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the article under analysis provides insights into the relationship between stress and maternal positive emotions. The moderating effect of a mother’s positive emotions on interactions with children has been identified, which is consistent with the available literature. Further research may address such areas as the influence of socioeconomic factors on mothers’ positive affect and parenting stress. It is also important to ensure the participation of diverse groups in terms of race, socioeconomic status, and education.
Reference
Smith, C. L., & Stephens, A. (2018). Maternal stress and sensitivity: Moderating effect of positive affect. Parenting: Science and Practice, 18(1), 1-8. Web.