Maternal relationship style, paediatric health care use and infant health

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the current exploratory study was to examine the relationships between maternal relationship style, paediatric health care use and infant health variables in a sample of middle-class and ethnically diverse mother-infant dyads. METHODS: An initial cross-sectional cohort study obtained demographic and self-report data on mothers' relationship styles. As an extension of the original study, infants' patient files were reviewed for the year following initial recruitment to obtain data regarding the use of paediatric health care services and infant health. The final sample included 64 mothers and their infants. RESULTS: Correlational analyses revealed that mothers' higher endorsement of a dismissive relationship style were associated with fewer acute care visits and fewer reported infant illnesses. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with other relationship styles, mothers who highly endorsed a dismissive relationship style tended to use fewer acute paediatric health care services and reported fewer infant health problems. However, further longitudinal research is needed to clarify these relationships. ©2010 Pulsus Group Inc. All rights reserved.