Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

12-2000

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Human Ecology

Major Professor

Jo Lynn Cunningham

Committee Members

Priscilla W. Blanton, Suzanne B. Kurth, Roy R. Lessly, Connie Steele

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate maternal age at the transition to parenthood as a predictor of children’s perceptions of educational and socioemotional well-being. Parenting attributes were studied for their relationships to maternal age at the transition to parenthood and its associated demographic variables and as predictors of children’s well-being. Data were obtained through interviews of 250 first born children ages 10 to 17 from. Wave 2 of the National Survey of Families and Households. Data regressions with a .05 alpha level as the criterion for significance.

Maternal age at the transition to parenthood was predictive of educational success and overall well-being of children. Parenting attributes of praise, negativity, and awareness of children’s activities were not related to maternal age at the transition to parenthood after controlling for the associated demographic variables. However, parenting attributes were most predictive of children’s well-being, especially the attribute of parental negativity. Family income, mother’s education, marital stability, and number ofchildren were associated with maternal age at the transition to parenthood.

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