Publication Date

8-1976

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Harry Robe, Lois Layne, David Shiek

Degree Program

Department of Psychology

Degree Type

Master of Arts

Abstract

A group of mothers and their infants enrolled in a rural child development center served as the subjects for this study. This investigation was designed to study the relationships between maternal locus of control, maternal IQ and their effects upon an infant's rate of mental and motor development.

Locus of control was measured by a newly developed I-E scale designed for use with populations of low reading levels and low intelligence levels. The mother's IQ was measured with the PPVT, an instrument that yields passive, verbal intelligence scores. An infant's level of development was assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. The Bayley Scales results are expressed in terms of mental and motor development indices. These indices are not synonymous with IQ; they are measures of development at a given point in time in comparison with other infants of the same age.

No significant relationship between locus of control and intelligence was found for the mothers in this population. The infants' mental levels of development were significantly related to the maternal passive, verbal IQ, although the infants' motor development levels were not significantly related to maternal verbal IQ. Both mental and motor developmental rates were significantly related to maternal locus of control orientation.

Disciplines

Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences

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