The Possibilities of Estimation of Maternal Sensitivity using the Nursing Child Assessment Teaching Scale (NCATS) in a Short Period of Observation of Free Play between Mother and Child:

The Usability of NCATS from the Viewpoint of Child Attachment Stability

Abstract

　　The measurement of maternal sensitivity needs to be accurate, even for short observation time of interaction between mother and child. The object of this research is to examine the possibility of measuring maternal sensitivity using Nursing Child Assessment Teaching Scale (NCATS) over a short period of observation. I recorded free play between mother and child (6-7 months old) using toys for 5 minutes in 65 cases. Maternal sensitivity was determined using NCATS. After approximately one year, I measured child attachment using AQS, and studied the relationship between such attachment and maternal sensitivity. I conducted a multiple regression analysis on the relationship between child attachment stability and NCATS. A significant correlation was obtained when we used sensitivity to the child's cue as an independent variable.

　　Thus, it was proved that NCATS was useful to some degree in the measurement of maternal sensitivity over a short period observation of free play between mother and child.