In this study an analysis was conducted of intuitive parenting skills utilized by Caucasian-American and Mandarin-Chinese mothers with two- and four-month-old infants. The subjects were Caucasian-American mothers and Mandarin Chinese mothers recruited from the Washington, DC area for a study by Hanus and Mechthild Papousek. Participants were videotaped during four experimental conditions: free play, encouraging vocalization, discouraging vocalization, and soothing. This researcher was blind to subject and condition, utilizing one-minute video segments previously randomly ordered by Hanus Papousek. Data were coded and analyzed for occurrence of nine intuitive parenting behaviors and four types of touch.; Hypotheses were: (1) that Chinese and American mothers do not differ in overall use of intuitive parenting behaviors; (2) that differing experimental conditions elicit differing constellations of behaviors, especially in the types of touch used; and (3) that intuitive maternal behaviors vary according to infant age and developmental status. Findings, based on mixed design, repeated measures analyses, indicated that while Chinese and American mothers utilized all of the intuitive parenting behaviors, statistical differences between the two groups were found on use of repetition and elongation behaviors, as well as in use of vestibular touch (higher frequencies in each for the Chinese mothers). Differing experimental conditions were matched with changes in maternal behaviors, particularly during the experimental condition of discouraging vocalization. Infant age corresponded with maternal behavioral differences in repetition and arousing touch, both increasing at four months, with additional trends in positioning, contingent behavior, and touch, again, all increasing at four months, and calming touch specifically, decreasing at four months.; These findings add to the growing evidence of cross-cultural use of intuitive parenting behaviors, adding strength to arguments that these behaviors are biologically based. In addition, differences in frequency by the two groups, add strength to arguments that the intuitive repertoire may represent an expression of cultural preferences and a means to reinforce cultural goals, such as social referencing. The findings may be utilized by early interventionists working with mother-infant dyads who seek to strengthen optimal infant development by supporting the expression of these non-conscious maternal behaviors.
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