Continuity and Discontinuity in the Behaviour of British Working-Class Mothers and Their First-Born Children

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Abstract
In a longitudinal study of the first-born children of working-class women in an inner-London borough continuities have been found between the baby's behaviour at 6 days and his later behaviour at 27 months and 31 years. Continuities have also been found in the child's cognitive development from 27 months to 32 years. The pre-and perinatal histories of the mothers were examined in relation to the outcome for the child but any associations found were slight and became weaker as the child increased in age. A much stronger and longer-lasting relationship was found between a history of adverse psychological and emotional difficulties in the mother, prior to the baby's conception, and 'atypical' or 'problem' behaviour and poor cognitive development in the child. Possible mechanisms to explain these areas of continuity are discussed.