FicWad

Predictor Variables
To ascertain extent of exposure to nudity and primal arenas, parents were asked two
questions in a face-to-face interview at child's age 3: "Does mother (father) go bare in

front of kid?" and "Does mom (father) bathe or shower with the kid?" The questions

family nudity, (it) felt OK about nudity within the family but not with others, or (iii)
Supported nudity within the family and with others.
Exposure to primal scenes was quantified by two items. At kid's age 3, parents were
They were offered a 4-point
Likert response format anchored by 1 (never) and 4 (frequently). At kid's age 6, parents
were again asked if their kid had found them having intercourse, and again offered a
4-point scale anchored by 1 (no) and 4 (consistently). As a result of shifts in the identity of
Moms' male partners for some of the families over the first 6 years, and the greater
frequency of dads working outside of the dwelling and being unavailable for interview,
missing data for fathers approach unacceptable amounts. Thus, only mothers' data were
used for these evaluations. Nonetheless, whenever data for fathers existed, correlation coefficient with

Mums' data was generally high (e.g., n = 69, r = .80).
Scores for individual variables were standardized [Mathematical Expression Omitted]
and combined so that the two time points (age 3 and age 6) were given equal weight.
Management Variants
Control variables contained participant kid's sex, family SES, and family climate
(troubled/nontroubled status, pronaturalism, sexual liberalism/conservatism). Families
participating in the FLS project differed as to national organizations, stability, values and
beliefs, and levels of commitment to those values and beliefs. On the basis of intensive
Case by case assessment of family life-style, a typology of family types was developed
and subjected to discriminant analysis. This evaluation assigned 83% of families to the
same sort identified qualitatively (Weisner and Wilson Mitchell, 1990). One of these
types was termed "changeable/troubled" in the original FLS reports, and just
"Distressed" in the present study for use as a management variable. Thirty-one families (16.4%)
were assigned to this category qualitatively. This kind was characterized by shaky
family composition (defined as regular changes of moms' male partners and/or
frequent residential changes); low commitment to whatever were the stated family values;
and typically disturbed parent relations or alcohol/substance abuse and other pathologies.
At the time of registration, parents were assessed as to common family values. A number of
items were initially generated regarding child-rearing, the surroundings, and individual
relationships. The construct addressed by these pieces was termed "pronaturalism" by FLS
investigators (cf. Weisner et al., 1983). Varimax rotation was used to derive three variables
with high loadings and good commonalities (Weisner, 1986). These variables described
belief in using natural materials, medicines, and food; a de-emphasis on materialism
and possessions; a "warm and emotionally expressive" style emphasizing honesty,
intimacy, emotionality, and physical heat and closeness; belief in "natural"
Kid-rearing practices such as breastfeeding and close parent-baby contact; a loose,
laid-back family style stressing low contradiction, little punishment and aggression,
conforming parenting style to the disposition of the child, and belief in the
wholesomeness of perceived fashions of pre-industrial individuals who are supposed to be more
"naturally human."
Supposition, find Buss, 1994, p. 17.) The concept "pronaturalism" was measured at
"Sexual liberalism/conservatism" was quantified through aggregate rating by FLS staff
interviewer of mom's answers to a series of items related to attitudes toward sexuality.
This measure was administered at kid's age 3. "Conservative" perspectives comprised low
Toleration for childhood masturbation and sex play, restrictive approaches toward nudity in
the residence (independent of genuine presence of nudity in the home), highly unfavorable
attitudes about kids viewing parental intercourse (independent of kids actually
Seeing intercourse), an unwillingness to acquaint children with the "facts of life," and
"Conventional" beliefs about the belief of gender equality. "Liberal" approaches included

Toleration for masturbation, sex play, and family nudity; more permissive attitudes about
children viewing intercourse; a willingness to impart sex education; and "progressive"
Criterion Variables