Within the framework of a project designed to study the growth and development of Negro children, a longitudinal study was conducted for the purpose of analyzing the child-training practices of a group of mothers whose children were subjects of the project, and comparing these findings with those from related investigations. The study was focused upon the child-training practices of 144 mothers in the areas of toileting, feeding, and dressing when their children were between 15 and 30 months of age. The data for this study were obtained when the psychologist interviewed the mothers during the administration of the Gesell Developmental Schedules. Assessment of progress in the areas of toileting, feeding and dressing is included in the personal-social area of the Gesell Schedules.
It is apparent from the results of this study that mothers encouraged self-help and independence in the areas of dressing and feeding, with the exception of the use of a bottle. However, in the category of toileting this was not true, inasmuch as emphasis upon self-management in daily toilet habits seemed to be at a minimum. These findings indicate that the mothers were permissive with regard to toilet-training and weaning. These practices and their patterns of breast-feeding agree with those practices advocated by the most recent edition of Infant Care.
The mother's educational level, the sex of the child, or the number of children in the family were not found to be significantly related to the child-training practices used by the mothers in this study. The data in this study are in agreement with White's finding that there is "a need for revising our ideas about social class differences in child-rearing practices." It is, of course, recognized that the lack of significant differences or relationships in this study does not prove that no such differences or relationships exist. It does, however, indicate that none can be recognized for this population from the available data. Differences in attitude as well as practice, on the part of the mothers, may well be prevalent; but they apparently are not reflected in the development of the children in the areas of toiletry, feeding and dressing as measured by the Gesell Schedules.
