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Influences on Maternal Overprotection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Gordon Parker  and
Penny Lipscombe
Gordon Parker
Affiliation:
University of New South Wales, Professorial Unit, P.O. Box 1, Rozelle, N.S.W. 2039, Australia
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Summary

While maternal overprotection appears associated with several neurotic and psychotic disorders, little is known about determinants of such a parental characteristic. Several hypotheses have been tested in a large nonclinical sample. Maternal and cultural factors seemed of greater relevance than characteristics in the child. Overprotective mothers gave evidence of marked maternal preoccupations before having children, of showing a capacity to be overprotective after the active stage of mothering, and of having personality characteristics of high anxiety, obsessionality and a need to control. Maternal overprotection appears associated with low, rather than with high maternal care. This has important primary prevention and treatment implications.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 138 , Issue 4 , April 1981 , pp. 303 - 311
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1981 

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