MOTHER-CHILD INTERACTION IN CHILDREN WITH EPILEPSY - RELATIONS WITH CHILD COMPETENCE

This study was designed to examine the relations among three dimensions of maternal behavior-emotional support, respect for child's autonomy, and quality of instruction and child competence-assessed outside of the mother-child relationship. Subjects were 20 children with epilepsy, between the ages of 8 and 11 years of age, and their mothers. Inclusion in the study required at least low average IQ and no degenerative neurological conditions. Significant relations were obtained between emotional support provided by mothers and child confidence, flexibility, positive affect, scholastic competence, and social acceptance, and between mother's respect for child's autonomy and child confidence, task involvement, flexibility, positive affect, dependence, and behavioral conduct. The results are discussed in regard to the association between parental behaviors and competence in children with epilepsy.