Culture, disability, and mother -child interaction: An Indian example
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to describe the relationships among presence of child disability, maternal child-rearing values and practices, and mother-child interaction in the Indian context. Mothers in different socio-economic levels and of children with disabilities were expected to have different child-rearing values and practices as well as different interaction patterns. Fifteen mothers of three educational levels and children without disabilities and ten mothers of two educational levels and children with cerebral palsy participated in the present study. All participants lived in Madras, India. Mother-child interaction was videotaped and mothers were interviewed about their child-rearing values and practices. Descriptive statistics such as, frequency, rate, and proportion, and transitional probabilities for sequences of mother and child behaviors were calculated from videotaped interactions. Qualitative analysis of interview data revealed themes and categories of child-rearing values. Descriptive statistics on rates of communicative behaviors revealed that mothers with medium education and children with cerebral palsy communicated most frequently. Analysis of sequential interactions revealed that these mothers also communicated with the most complexity. Mothers with more education communicated more often than mothers with less education both when children did and did not have disabilities. In addition, children (with and without disabilities) of mothers with more education also communicated more often than children of mothers with less education. Children with disabilities protested and communicated nonverbally more often than children without disabilities. Mother requesting and child complying was the characteristic interaction sequence of most mother-child dyads. All mothers were found to have a blend of traditional and industrial values and practices. Among mothers of children without disabilities only some of the stated values were in congruence with their reported child-rearing practices. Two main interaction sequences that occurred were child complying with maternal requests, reflecting the value of obedience, and mothers' responses to child requests, reflecting maternal responsiveness.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Karlan, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Special education|Social psychology|Families & family life|Personal relationships|Sociology
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