Mother-child interactions in the context of socioeconomic disadvantage: predictors and the effectiveness of an attachment-based intervention program

Attachment theory strongly contributes to parenting science by evidencing the major influence of parental care on child developmental trajectories. Research also describes parenting as being determined by multiple influences, amongst which we can find parents’ personal characteristics and contextual features of the environment. Parents in socioeconomic disadvantage are reported to experience an accumulation of risk factors and to be more vulnerable in terms of parental functioning, with negative impact on their children’s development. In face of this deleterious scenario, evidence-based interventions to support at risk socioeconomically disadvantaged families are crucial. The present doctoral dissertation integrates two separate studies, focused on parenting in socioeconomically disadvantaged mothers and their young aged children, relying on solid observational measures. The first study investigates determinants of maternal behaviors in play and discipline interaction contexts. Results point to the relevance of maternal attachment representation in defining mother-child interactions, detailing that: a more dismissing attachment representation relates to higher structuring; a more preoccupied state of mind relates to lower sensitivity and structuring; a more secure attachment representation relates to more psychologically controlling discipline tactics, putting in evidence the relevance of sociocultural framework within which parenting takes place. The second study presents the implementation and effectiveness evaluation of the Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD, Juffer, Bakermans-Kranenburg, & Van IJzendoorn, 2008) through a randomized controlled trial. The VIPP-SD is an early intervention attachment-based program aimed at improving parental sensitivity and adequate discipline strategies. The VIPP-SD proved to be effective in enhancing positive mother-child interactions and positive family relations in a severely deprived context. More in detail, VIPP-SD positively impacted perceived family cohesion, as well as observed maternal intrusiveness, child responsiveness and involvement, assembling VIPP-SD as an effective parenting program with socio-economically deprived families who struggle with multiple stress factors. Research findings and conclusions are discussed regarding clinical implications for intervening in the context of socio-economic disadvantage.