Parental Love: As Defined and Expressed by Parents of Young Children

Parental Love: As Defined and Expressed by Parents of Young Children
By:"Lisa Jaynes Johnson"
Published on 2007 by ProQuest

In general, parental love was defined as unconditional, intense and responsive to the needs and desires of the child for both mothers and fathers. Even parents who stated that they did not define maternal and paternal love differently, mentioned that the biological connection between a mother and her child, through the birth and nursing process, resulted in an earlier experience of parental love. However, mothers' and fathers' definitions of parental love reported the same goals for the health, protection and care of the child. Paternal love was more often described as playful, whereas maternal play was more often described as educational. Parental love was identified as distinct from other types of love based on intensity, unconditionality, increased commitment or permanency, responsibility, and attachment. These parents reported their definitions of parental love were primarily influenced by their own experience as a parent, and as a child in their family of origin. Comparison of these findings to other studies is discussed. Implications of the study, limitations and suggestions for future research are provided.

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