This paper investigated the domestic environment in terms of maternal responsiveness to the child’s demands related to attitudes related to maternity and to the child. Forty-five middle class and slum-dwellers mothers and their children were interviewed at home. Questions about maternity and child- care practices were asked. A questionnaire to investigate attitudes related to maternity and to the child’s autonomy was also used. Analysis included the construction of a responsiveness score and the use of the answers to the questionnaires to form two scales. The results showed little difference in the degree of maternal satisfaction but there were large differences concerning the child’s autonomy, related to place of living and educational level of the mother. The results suggested an articulation between child care practices, cultural systems, and their implications for child development.
Responsiveness; developmental environment; maternal styles; maternal attitudes
