An exploration of the domain specificity of maternal sensitivity among a diverse sample in the infancy period: Unique paths to child outcomes

Abstract

Maternal sensitivity during an observed mother–child clean‐up task at 18 months and maternal sensitivity during an observed mother–child free‐play task at 18 months were tested as independent predictors of child internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms, social competence, and language development at 24 months. Participants (n = 292 mothers) were recruited between 2015 and 2017, and were low‐income (mean annual income = $19,136) and racially and ethnically diverse (43.8% Black; 44.2% Latinx). Maternal sensitivity during clean‐up was a significant predictor of all social‐emotional outcomes, and a unique predictor of child internalizing symptoms. Maternal sensitivity during free‐play was a unique predictor of child language. Results suggest that context‐specific subtypes of maternal sensitivity may differentially relate to early child outcomes.