An Examination of Predictors of Mothers' Perceptions of Satisfaction with Their Children

Abstract

Maternal satisfaction with child behavior has received minimum attention in the literature. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship of seven factors (child behavior, maternal depression, marital satisfaction, extrafamilial interaction, time with child, exercise, and life stresses) to maternal satisfaction. A total of 48 middle-class white mothers and their young children served as subjects. Each mother completed a set of questionnaires once. The results indicated that maternal satisfaction was high in the sample studied. Both pleasing and displeasing child behaviors were correlated with satisfaction, as was maternal depression. A multiple-regression analysis yielded a five-factor equation, which accounted for 28% of the variance. The equation appeared to identify three primary dimensions that contribute to maternal satisfaction: child behavior, maternal depression, and maternal independent activity as measured by exercise. Finally, one demographic variable, maternal employment, appeared to be an important variable that merits further study.

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