Perceived child vulnerability and overprotective parenting in caregivers of twin children

Caregivers may be more protective of children they perceive as vulnerable. As second-born twins have poorer health outcomes compared to first-born twins, it is theorised that caregivers will perceive second-born twins as more vulnerable and parent them more protectively. In this cross-sectional online study, 855 biological mothers of twins aged 2 to 9 years, living in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and United States of America, completed the Child Vulnerability Scale (Forsyth et al., 1996) and Parent Protection Scale (Thomasgard, Metz, et al., 1995) for each twin. Compared to first-born twins, more second-born twins were considered highly vulnerable (p=.038) and parented in an overprotective manner (p=.005). Perceived child vulnerability was positively correlated with parent protection for both first- and second-born twins (rs=.22, p<.001 and rs =.25, p <.001, respectively). Mothers of younger children perceived them to be more vulnerable than mothers of older children (H(2)=11.28 p=.004; H(2)=9.76, p=.008), and parented them more protectively (H(2)=106.48, p<.001; H(2)=123.32, p<.001). More neonatal, child health and maternal risk factors were identified for greater perceived child vulnerability and parent protection for second-born twins than first-born twins. Findings highlight the importance of context-driven psychosocial interventions to improve outcomes for caregivers and their twin children.