Maternal factors of mental development among children in poor rural minority area

Objective To explore maternal factors for mental development among the children in poor rural minority area.Methods Totally 2007 pupils and their mothers were selected from 7 primary schools in the poor rural minority areas of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region with random cluster sampling and surveyed with Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale,Infants-Junior Middle School Student Social-Life Ability Scale,Children's Loneliness Scale,Social Anxiety Scale for Children,the Parent Behavior Report,and a questionnaire including demographic information and maternal factors.Results The level of mental development of the children was significantly lower than that of the national norms.There was a significant difference in mental development between the children with mothers educated differently except social anxiety.Hierarchical linear regression analyses showed that maternal education had a significant effect on mental development of the children after adjustment for demographic status(B=-0.074-0.106,P < 0.05).The occupation of the mother had an effect on the mental development of the children.Maternal income was significantly correlated with the mental development of the children(r=-0.088-0.134,P < 0.05).Maternal inductive parenting pattern was most beneficial to the mental development of the children,whereas maternal indifferent pattern was most harmful.Conclusion The mental development of the children is generally at a lowlevel and maternal education,occupation,income and parenting pattern play important roles in mental development of the children in poor rural minority area.