Abstract
The aim of the current study is twofold: (a) to examine the relationship between maternal warmth (i.e., mother’s warmth towards her child) and maternal gate closing (i.e., maternal behaviors and attitudes that may limit father involvement in childrearing) through the mediating role of traditional motherhood, and (b) to identify cultural aspects of maternal gate closing by considering family work standards in Turkish middle-class families. A mixed-method design was employed. Two hundred Turkish women (Mage = 33.04) participated in online surveys (N = 200), and ten women (N = 10) participated in focus groups. Participants completed a demographic information form and three inventories. The SPSS macro PROCESS with Model 4 was run to test the hypothesis that the relationship between maternal warmth and maternal gate closing is mediated by traditional motherhood in survey data. Results revealed that maternal warmth significantly and positively predicted traditional motherhood (B = .45, SE = .094, p < .001, 95% CI = [.27, .64]), which in turn significantly and positively predicted maternal gate closing (B = .09, SE = .02, p < .01, 95% CI = [.04, .14]). The indirect association between maternal warmth and maternal gate closing was significant in positive direction (B = .0420, boot SE = .0023, 95% CI = [.02, .07]). Focus group results revealed that childrearing tasks were predominantly performed by mothers who want to be first person responsible for these tasks since fathers were perceived as unskillful or withdrawn. The results highlight the importance of determinants of maternal gate closing for intervention programs targeting coparenting and involvement of fathers in the prenatal and postpartum periods.
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Notes
A multiple linear regression analysis was also conducted to predict maternal gate closing based on maternal warmth and traditional motherhood. The model was significant (R2 = .07, F (2, 197) = 7.87, p < .001.), maternal warmth (β = −.14, p < .05) and traditional motherhood (β = .096, p < .001) significantly predicted maternal gatekeeping.
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Acknowledgments
This article builds on the author’s Master’s thesis, which was rewarded as the ‘Best Thesis of the Year’ among all Master’s and doctoral theses submitted in 2018 by the Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey. The author would like to thank the supervisor of the study Prof. Dr. Ayşe Ceylan Tokluoğlu, and mothers for their participation. The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to their containing information that could compromise the privacy of research participants.
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APPENDIX
APPENDIX
ADDITIONAL QUOTATIONS FROM FOCUS GROUPS
What do you think about your spouse doing housework?
Equality is desired by women but not acceptable to men. Even if both men and women are employed, women cook after getting back home from work tired. Maybe men learn these roles from their families during childhood, and it is not easy to adapt to new roles. I am teaching my son to clean and to bake a cake, for example. They are not 100% as successful or as prone as women, but it is very important that they take these duties into their agenda. The expectations of women are not that much; they do not want to get involved in their work anyway. (A mother from the working group)
I do not know if he is prone or not because I have never seen that he did housework. Because his mother is a very perfect woman, so he thinks all women are. So, he believes that women should do housework. He saw it that way from his mother. (A mother from the nonworking group)
What would you think of a mother who does not love her child?
The factors you are exposed to affect a lot, such as postpartum. I think it is not right to define motherhood in one way. Because of my religious beliefs, I may be approaching differently, but every mother is different. I think my child is a gift of God and commended to me by God. Not every mother is the same; not every mother loves. (A mother from the working group)
Every mother likes or dislikes differently. Some mothers have their children unintentionally. Some mothers are expecting 10 years, living for that child. I am not such a mother; I am not very self-sacrificing or intend to give my whole life to her. I love her very much but within certain limits. The mother who does not love her child might have her unintentionally or be subjected to violence. She might have her own reasons. (A mother from the working group)
The mother who does not love her child must have psychological problems. Sometimes we watch bad examples on the news, such as a mother beating her child, etc. I cannot believe it personally. They must have problems; otherwise, it is not possible for a mother to not love her child. (A mother from the nonworking group)
Do you think there is a difference in the love you and your spouse feel towards your child and the way you show it?
We spend more time with children so we can get angry sometimes. Mothers are caregiver; dad is like a playmate. I do things that my child does not like, such as bathing her or brushing her hair; things I have to do. (A mother from the working group)
I think it is different because he is a man. Men do the same as they saw from their father when they were children. For example, I believe the father who sees his child more is more emotionally dependent on his child. If he is a cold-tempered and traditional person, he definitely has paternal authority. My husband loves our children very much, but the children shy away from him a little. (A mother from the nonworking group)
It is as if the roles have changed in our home. It is as if motherhood feelings are more in my husband. He loves our children more than I. My husband’s father was authoritarian and never showed affection, so my husband is doing just the opposite. Let them live their childhood, as we could not. (A mother from the nonworking group)
What do you think a father should not do in his relationship with his child?
It is necessary to be balanced for both mother and father. A balanced approach should be taken without giving up their own life and wearing the child. He should not compromise. He must be patient. He does not hug or kiss much. He should show his love more. These behaviors come from his own parents. I think such an approach is widespread in Turkish society… (A mother from the working group)
In order for the child to have a good character, the mother should be a little more authoritative because fathers can pamper children. Fathers do not spend much time, so they always want to see the smiling face of their child. Mother and father should make a joint decision. It should impose on children that they are parents, not like friends, but parents. Yes, the child can come and tell you what he has talked to his friend, but he should know that you are his parents. (A mother from the working group)
I think the father should support the mother in all matters. We certainly could not do this about sleep, food, study matters. For example, I expect my husband to give great importance to the mother in the presence of children. Because children start to behave in the same way as the father behaves to their wives. For example, he does not take me seriously, so children do not too. (A mother from the nonworking group)
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Aytac, F.K. Is it love? The mediating role of traditional motherhood between maternal warmth and maternal gatekeeping. Curr Psychol 42, 6062–6076 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-01880-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-01880-8