Evaluating Maternal Sensitivity in Rural Andean Peru: Situations and Measures Matter

The present study aimed to describe the level and nature of maternal sensitivity in an economically disadvantaged rural region in Peru, examining differences between measures and situations. Sixty-nine infant–mother dyads from rural Cusco, Peru, participated in this study. Maternal sensitivity was evaluated through the Ainsworth Sensitivity Scale and the Maternal BehaviorQ-Sort (MBQS; regular and short version) across three naturalistic episodes, namely, free interaction, bathing, and feeding. Almost the entire range of sensitivity levels was observed for both measures. On average, these mothers showed moderate sensitivity levels, mostly regardless of the measure and situation observed. Significant associationswere observed among the measures during episodes, ranging from moderate to high correlations, and differences between episodes were only found for the MBQS, with lower sensitivity scores during the feeding episode. In conclusion, all three situations and both measures have their strengths and weaknesses and can provide relevant information, particularly with samples rarely studied that we are just getting to know. However, basing the assessment only on the MBQS may not necessarily be the best choice. Selecting a more global sensitivity scale like the Ainsworth scale may be more pertinent for evaluating sensitivity cross-culturally, while the MBQS can facilitate understanding the relevance of specific predefined behaviors in particular contexts.