Children' s relationships with their childcare teachers and its effects on their subsequent behaviors, attachments, and outcomes have been an interest in the last two or three decades primarily due to the significant increase of young children in full-time childcare. Attachment Theory, and its identifying behaviors in children categorized by the Strange Situation or the Attachment Q-Sort, has been the main focus of previous research. The purpose of my study, using an ethnographic approach, was to understand and describe the varied and multiple relationships between children (approximate ages 12 to 24 months) and their childcare teacher in their day-to-day interactions. Observations were my primary source of data, supported by videotaped sessions, and parent and teacher interviews. My focus was on secondary caregiver-child dyads, their relationships, and the parameters and identifying behaviors characterizing each pair. Data collection took place over an eight-week period in one toddler center classroom where I was a passive participant observer. Results indicated the children had warm, nurturing relationships, often with multiple caregivers, without the prevailing attachment behaviors. My research did not support the customary categorization of childcare relationships using the attachment paradigm, nor an increase in the insecure-avoidant category among children in full-time childcare. Evidence suggested, instead, a broader base of relationship descriptions, and a future development of a multiple caregiver model analogous to the extended family for understanding the varied relationships within a childcare center setting. / Ph. D.

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<p dir="ltr"><a href="" target="_blank">The goal of this study was to contribute to the research on determinants of caregiving by exploring whether adult children’s health problems shape their involvement in their mothers’ care. Drawing from equity theory and contingent exchange theory (Davey & Eggebeen, 1998; Davey & Norris, 1998; Walster et al., 1978), I proposed that adult children with health problems would be less likely to be their mothers’ primary caregivers but more likely to be their mothers’ secondary caregivers compared to their healthier siblings. Additionally, based on gender role development theories (Chodorow, 1978; Gilligan, 1982; Leaper & Friedman, 2007), I hypothesized that health problems would reduce sons’, but not daughters’, likelihood of serving as their mothers’ primary caregivers. The results of both the quantitative and qualitative analyses revealed that from both the mothers’ and children’s perspectives, adult children with and without health problems were equally as likely to serve as their mothers’ primary or secondary caregivers. Furthermore, the results suggested that daughters were expected to provide care despite their own health obstacles, whereas this expectation was not present for sons. The findings suggested that adult children with health problems are still participants in their mothers’ care and should be included in conversations regarding planning for their mothers’ future care needs and current caregiving arrangements. Additionally, the findings highlighted how providing care comes at a higher cost for children with health problems compared to their healthier siblings. Future research should investigate how additional support to caregivers with health problems may lead to better caregiving outcomes for both the caregivers and care recipients.</a></p>

MPH / Department of Public Health