Shifting the Paradigm: Toward Integrative Research on Mothers and Children

The mother-child relationship has been examined extensively but most research has centered on maternal characteristics associated with poor childhood developmental outcomes or maternal response to stressors. The "maternal deficit" model has misdirected research and intervention. Research on maternal depression based on the maternal deficit model has resulted in research designs that do not adequately address maternal outcomes. Research must be conceptualized to address parent-child relationships and situational factors that influence them.