Life course trajectory of at risk mothers for child maltreatment after praticipation in a longitudinal prevention study

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions and experiences of four at risk mothers for child maltreatment that participated in a longitudinal, randomized prevention study to decrease child abuse and neglect. The goals of the “My Baby and Me” prevention study (Borkowski et al. & Center for the Prevention of Child Neglect, 2001) were to help support parents to be more sensitive and responsive (antithesis of neglect and abuse), to gain awareness of the importance of stimulating in-home enrichments, and illuminate the critical roles they play in supporting their children to achieve crucial developmental milestones. Design: This qualitative case study design used formal in-depth interviews with the four selected mothers, review of home visit observation field notes, informal and formal interviews with intervention coaches on perceptions of selected mothers engagement, and review of 20 minute video-taped parent-child interactions completed at different intervals over 36 months. Also incorporated in the data collection were three quantitative measures to provide the case-bound descriptions of the selected mothers. Results: Preliminary results revealed 3 major themes related to life course trajectory and being a parent as a result the “Baby and Me” project and/or in conjunction with other significant interventions in which the mother participated. These preliminary themes are: Struggle to incorporate the absent mother-daughter relationship of their own childhood; Develop protective boundaries (physical, emotional, spiritual environmental) for both themselves and their child; and Create new visions and behaviors within immediate and extended family for healthy parent/child relations and role modeling.