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Objective: This study explored the main and interactive effects of sexual abuse history and relationship satisfaction on self-reported parenting, controlling for histories of physical abuse and parental alcoholism., Method: The community sample consisted of 90 mothers of 5- to 8-year-old children. The sample was limited to those mothers currently in an intimate relationship, 19 of whom reported a history of childhood sexual abuse. Participants completed the Child Behavior Checklist, the Parenting Stress Inventory, the Family Cohesion Index, and questions assessing parent-child role reversal, history of abuse and parental alcoholism, and current relationship satisfaction., Results: Results of analyses and multivariate analyses of covariance suggested that sexual abuse survivors with an unsatisfactory intimate relationship were more likely than either sexual abuse survivors with a satisfactory relationship or nonabused women to endorse items on a questionnaire of role reversal (defined as emotional overdependence upon one's child). Role reversal was not significantly predicted by histories of physical abuse or parental alcoholism or child's gender. While parenting stress was inversely predicted by the significant main effect of relationship satisfaction, neither parenting stress nor child behavior problems were predicted by the main effect of sexual abuse history or by the interaction between sexual abuse history and relationship satisfaction., Conclusions: These results suggest the unique relevance of sexual abuse history and relationship satisfaction in the prediction of a specific type of parent-child role reversal--namely, a mother's emotional overdependence upon her child.

Objective: To use social learning theory to develop and examine the effectiveness of a 15-minute, culturally sensitive videotape in altering mealtime communication and attitudes among African-American adolescent mothers., Design: Randomized clinical trial with baseline and follow-up evaluations., Setting: High schools, WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) Clinics, and Family Support Centers serving low-income families., Participants: Fifty-nine first-time, African-American adolescent mothers of infants., Intervention: Intervention group viewed and received a copy of a videotape titled "Feeding Your Baby With Love." The messages, title, music, and setting were designed by an advisory group of six African-American adolescent mothers who were filmed feeding their infants in their homes., Measurements and Results: During baseline and follow-up evaluations, mothers were videotaped feeding their baby and completed a questionnaire on attitudes toward mealtime behavior. Analysis of covariance with repeated measures indicated changes in both behavior and attitudes. At follow-up, intervention mothers were more involved with their infant and reported more favorable attitudes toward feeding and communication than control mothers., Conclusions: Brief culturally sensitive videotapes may be effective strategies to promote parenting skills and to prevent social and health problems among adolescents.