Affectionate Mothering Boosts Kids’ Success Traits, Study Finds

Quick Smiles:

• Affectionate mothering can shape personality traits linked to life success.
• Maternal warmth in childhood fosters openness, conscientiousness, and agreeableness.
• Parenting programs could help enhance educational and social outcomes.

A recent study highlights the enduring influence of affectionate mothering on children’s personality development. This research suggests that positive maternal interactions can nurture key traits like openness, conscientiousness, and agreeableness, potentially affecting educational achievement, economic success, and overall well-being.

“Personality traits are strong predictors of important life outcomes, from academic and career success to health and well-being,” explained Jasmin Wertz, PhD, the study’s lead author and psychology professor at the University of Edinburgh.

The study, published by the American Psychological Association, focused on the Big Five personality traits: extraversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism. Wertz and her team investigated how maternal affection between ages 5 and 10 could predict these traits at age 18.

The research involved 2,232 British identical twins monitored from birth to 18 years old as part of a longitudinal study. By studying identical twins, researchers could control for genetic and environmental variables, focusing on the impact of maternal warmth.

During the study, mothers were observed interacting with their children, and trained observers rated their expressions of warmth and affection. Twins who experienced more maternal warmth were later rated as more open, conscientious, and agreeable young adults.

These findings emphasize the potential of affectionate mothering to shape critical personality traits associated with success. Wertz noted, “Our findings suggest that fostering positive parenting environments in early childhood could have a small but significant and lasting impact on the development of these crucial personality traits.”

Interestingly, the study found no persistent links between maternal affection and traits like extraversion or neuroticism, implying other factors might play a more significant role in these areas.

Wertz highlighted the importance of considering genetic and environmental influences when designing programs to promote positive personality traits. “This research provides valuable evidence for the potential of parenting programs to influence critical aspects of personality development,” she said.

The study’s insights are particularly relevant for policymakers and practitioners in education, family welfare, and mental health. Enhancing affectionate parenting could lead to improved educational outcomes and social well-being.

“There are many proven ways to support parents,” Wertz added, citing policies that improve family financial situations, access to mental health treatments, and parenting programs that strengthen parent-child relationships.

Furthermore, the research points to the possibility of developing parental training models to address personality development inequalities. “By targeting parenting practices that promote positive traits in childhood, it may be possible to reduce disparities in life outcomes associated with socioeconomic background, family dynamics and other environmental factors,” Wertz concluded.

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