Abstract

The main purpose of the study was to examine relationships of child development with maternal social networks and maternal perceptions of parenting difficulty. Subjects were 90 children, ages 4 and 5, with their mothers. Child development was measured by School Readiness Test, peer nomination, and social competency ratings by teachers. Mothers responded to a questionnaire regarding social networks and parenting difficulty. The major findings of the study include: 1) Employed mothers reported receiving less emotional support and listed more in-laws and work colleagues in their social network than unemloyed mothers. 2) Mothers who perceived receiving more emotional support from networks reported less difficulty in parenting, especially in providing cognitive stimulation and daily routine care to their children. 3) Children's age and maternal perceptions of easiness in providing cognitive stimulation were the most contributing factors for predicting children's learning readiness and social competency.

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