{"title":"The impact of remembered emotion socialization on maternal sensitivity to distress via beliefs about crying","authors":"Agona Lutolli, Esther M. Leerkes","doi":"10.1016/j.infbeh.2025.102056","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.infbeh.2025.102056","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The manner in which adults were parented in their own childhood is a known predictor of the manner in which they parent their own children. One potential mechanism explaining this intergenerational transmission of behavior is parental beliefs. This longitudinal study examined the association between mothers’ remembered emotion socialization, specifically their perceptions of how their own mothers responded to their childhood distress, and their sensitivity to their own infants’ distress at both 6 and 14 months and possible indirect effects via mothers’ beliefs about crying. Participants were 259 primiparous mothers (128 European American, 131 African American). The path analysis indicated that mothers who recalled their own mothers responding to their childhood distress in a non-supportive manner had more mother-oriented beliefs (i.e., crying is a nuisance to be suppressed for the comfort of the mother and others) which predicted lower maternal sensitivity to their children’s distress at 6 months and 14 months. Although there was a positive association between supportive emotion socialization and infant-oriented crying beliefs (i.e., crying as a meaningful signal that warrants a response) and a marginal but non-significant positive association between infant-oriented crying beliefs and maternal sensitivity to distress at 6 months, the indirect pathway was not statistically significant. Thus, identifying mothers who experienced non-supportive emotion socialization in childhood and providing preventative interventions to reduce their mother-oriented cry beliefs may promote more adaptive parenting in infancy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48222,"journal":{"name":"Infant Behavior & Development","volume":"79 ","pages":"Article 102056"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143724750","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Raissa Wanderley Ferraz de Abreu , Camila Resende Gâmbaro Lima , Adriana Neves dos Santos , Nelci Adriana Cicuto Ferreira Rocha
{"title":"Remote screening protocol for functioning and contextual factors (e-Followkids) in Brazilian children with biological risk in the first 2 years: A longitudinal prospective study","authors":"Raissa Wanderley Ferraz de Abreu , Camila Resende Gâmbaro Lima , Adriana Neves dos Santos , Nelci Adriana Cicuto Ferreira Rocha","doi":"10.1016/j.infbeh.2025.102054","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.infbeh.2025.102054","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Children with biological risk may experience developmental delays, even in the absence of brain injury. Identifying warning signs and knowledge of contextual factors are vital to favor intervention. Telehealth can aid in screening by providing access for populations that face physical and social barriers. As such, the aim of this study was to describe the <em>e-Followkids</em> screening protocol and how its feasibility will be assessed. A multicentric longitudinal prospective study with 80 caregivers of children born with some form of biological risk: preterm, low birth weight or perinatal complications. Screening will be conducted remotely at 12, 18 and 24 months old, using internationally recognized instruments with valid psychometric properties. The body structure and function component will be assessed using the Survey of Well-Being of Young Children (SWYC), functional abilities with the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory - Computer Adaptive Test (PEDI-CAT), and participation using the Young Children's Participation and Environment Measure (YC-PEM). Environmental factors will be analyzed using the Child’s Context questionnaire, the environment portion of each section of the YC-PEM, Social Support Scale, the physical dimension of the Affordances in the Home Environment for Motor Development scale, and sociodemographic data. The data will be collected by filling out electronic forms (body structure and function, functional skills and contextual factors), telephone interviews or video calls (participation measures).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48222,"journal":{"name":"Infant Behavior & Development","volume":"79 ","pages":"Article 102054"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143715654","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Extended kangaroo mother care – Examining the utility of skin-to-skin contact over the first year of life","authors":"Rukshan Mehta","doi":"10.1016/j.infbeh.2025.102055","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.infbeh.2025.102055","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>Kangaroo mother care which involves skin-to-skin contact (SSC) between mothers and newborns with support for exclusive breastfeeding, is an important innovation if practiced beyond the first week of life up to 1-year of age. We posit that extended SSC can benefit postpartum metabolic health.</div></div><div><h3>Study design</h3><div>Using a narrative literature review, we examine the interaction between hormones oxytocin and cortisol, which are either released or antagonized by the neural actions of skin-to-skin contact.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Oxytocin is released during SSC, which promotes attachment, improves parent-infant interactions and lowers levels of cortisol. No studies to date have reported SSC use beyond the first 5 to 7 weeks postpartum. Although no differences have been observed in infant body weight, increased head circumference has been noted among pre-term and low birth weight infants. Improved breastfeeding outcomes have also been observed. Oxytocin release is protective against type-2 diabetes and obesity in postpartum women, given its effects on β-cell function, improved insulin response and reduction of plasma glucose levels. Oxytocin has anti-inflammatory, analgesic and thermoregulatory effects. Hypothetical benefits due to oxytocin-cortisol dynamics, can be assumed for maternal posttraumatic stress, postpartum depression and anxiety. Sleep patterns, duration of crying and length of sleep are dose-dependent in effect. Postnatal skin-brain connection and thermoregulation via epidermal keratinocytes may mediate the relationship between SSC and autism spectrum disorder.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The extended use of SSC can lower dependence on pharmacotherapeutic options concerning postpartum mental health and galactagogue use while supporting maternal-infant psychosocial well-being and lowering stress via hormonal action and HPA-axis activation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48222,"journal":{"name":"Infant Behavior & Development","volume":"79 ","pages":"Article 102055"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143706404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Infant’s motion adaptation with animal motion","authors":"Riku Umekawa , So Kanazawa , Masami K. Yamaguchi","doi":"10.1016/j.infbeh.2025.102052","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.infbeh.2025.102052","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We investigated motion adaptation with animal motion using optokinetic nystagmus responses in infants. Three movies depicting an animal running were presented,followed by the test random dot kinematogram. We predicted that viewing animal motions would shift OKN responses to the RDK in the opposite direction of animal motion. Results showed that motion adaptation shifted the OKN responses to the RDK in the opposite direction of animal motion in all infants. This suggests that 3–8 monthinfants were able to adapt to animal motion direction. This is the first study to reveal infants’ motion adaptation with animal motion using OKN response.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48222,"journal":{"name":"Infant Behavior & Development","volume":"79 ","pages":"Article 102052"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143675023","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Roseanne Clark , Roger L. Brown , Karen F. Pridham
{"title":"Measurement of the quality of mother-infant feeding interactions across the first year: Reliability and stability of the parent-child early relational assessment","authors":"Roseanne Clark , Roger L. Brown , Karen F. Pridham","doi":"10.1016/j.infbeh.2025.102038","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.infbeh.2025.102038","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the psychometric properties of the Parent-Child Early Relational Assessment (PCERA) in the context of mother-infant feeding interaction. Utilizing a longitudinal design, data were collected from 114 mother-infant dyads, including healthy full-term infants and those born prematurely with diagnosed respiratory disease, one group with chronic respiratory disease (Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia) and the second group with acute respiratory disease (Respiratory Distress Syndrome). Observational data were collected at 1, 4, 8, and 12 months post-term age, focusing on parental behavior, infant variables, and dyadic interactions during feeding. Confirmatory factor analysis was employed to assess the congeneric structure of the PCERA across three domains: parental, infant, and dyadic. Results indicated support for the congeneric model in all domains, demonstrating that each factor measured a single common latent variable despite variations in item loadings and error terms. Reliability analysis using Cronbach alpha and McDonald’s omega coefficients revealed high internal consistency for all eight PCERA factors, indicative of robust measurement properties (Table 3). Further examination of factorial invariance across four time periods (1, 4, 8, and 12 months) demonstrated consistent measurement properties of the PCERA factors throughout the infant's first year of life. This finding suggests stability and reliability in measuring the underlying constructs of mother-infant feeding interaction over time. The study underscores the utility of the PCERA as an observational tool for assessing various dimensions of parent-child interaction during feeding. Findings support its application in diverse settings, including the study of infants with complex medical conditions, such as prematurity and respiratory disease. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of examining parent and infant characteristics as predictors of feeding interaction quality, aiming to identify dyads at risk of poorer interaction outcomes and inform clinical interventions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48222,"journal":{"name":"Infant Behavior & Development","volume":"79 ","pages":"Article 102038"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143644351","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Relationship between temperamental dimensions and infant limb movement complexity and dynamic stability","authors":"Nicol A. Arellano-Véliz , Zuzanna Laudańska , Joanna Duda-Goławska , Ralf F.A. Cox , Przemysław Tomalski","doi":"10.1016/j.infbeh.2025.102050","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.infbeh.2025.102050","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Infant temperament reflects behavioral responses to stimulation, while the motor system undergoes significant developmental changes throughout infancy, influenced in part by caregivers’ mental well-being. This study examines the associations between temperament and motor system organization across three distinct social interaction tasks at 6 and 12 months of age. To account for the role of the caregiver’s mental well-being, we also included maternal trait anxiety in our analysis. A longitudinal sample of 83 infants at 6 months and 59 infants at 12 months participated in three caregiver-infant tasks: book-sharing, playing with manipulative toys, and rattle-shaking. Infant limb movements were recorded using wearable accelerometers, and we applied Multidimensional Recurrence Quantification Analysis (MdRQA) to extract Entropy (reflecting motor system complexity) and Mean Line (reflecting motor system stability). Using mixed-effects models, we examined the predictive effects of task and temperament variables: Negative Affectivity (NEG), Positive Affectivity or Surgency (PAS), and Orienting and Regulatory Capacity (ORC). Our results suggest that Negative Affectivity measured at 6 months predicted increased motor system Entropy and Mean Line concurrently at 6 months as well as longitudinally at 12 months. Temperamental variables measured at 12 months of age did not predict infants’ motor systems’ complexity and stability at the same time point. At 12 months, task conditions modulated both Entropy and Mean Line, suggesting greater sensitivity to contextual differences later in infancy. Additionally, higher maternal trait anxiety (measured at 4 months) predicted decreased motor system Entropy and Mean Line at 12 months. Our results have implications for understanding the early developmental pathways of motor system organization, its relationship with temperament, and the influence of caregiver mental well-being on infant motor development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48222,"journal":{"name":"Infant Behavior & Development","volume":"79 ","pages":"Article 102050"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143610283","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Louise M. Staring , Nathalie Pattyn , Francis McGlone , Cristina Rivas-Smits , Dora Coopmans , Sarah Decorte , Martine Van Puyvelde
{"title":"Tiny shifts, major ripples: Unravelling micro-mechanisms in the building of mother-infant attachment and psychophysiological regulation","authors":"Louise M. Staring , Nathalie Pattyn , Francis McGlone , Cristina Rivas-Smits , Dora Coopmans , Sarah Decorte , Martine Van Puyvelde","doi":"10.1016/j.infbeh.2025.102051","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.infbeh.2025.102051","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Parental nurturing touch plays a crucial role in early infant development by activating C-Tactile afferents, which trigger neurobiological pathways essential for parent-infant bonding and the building of attachment. This process is said to regulate the infant’s parasympathetic nervous system, fostering emotional and physiological connection with the caregiver. Research has consistently shown that CT-mediated touch enhances infant parasympathetic tone, yet no clear patterns of mutual co-regulation between parent and infant have been reported. Here, we replicated our previous study design to test the impact of three minutes of maternal stroking touch on mother-infant cardiorespiratory regulation, using no-touch pre- and post-stroking baselines. To control for potential confounds, we standardised the infant’s holding position, used active baselines (i.e., active group) instead of resting baselines (i.e., resting group) to account for maternal metabolic activity, and compared stroking with and without massaging oil in the active group. Electrocardiogram (ECG) and respiration were measured in 30 mother-infant dyads (active group) and 24 mother-infant dyads (resting group) (infants aged 5–14 weeks) to calculate RRI-intervals (RRI), respiration frequency (<em>f</em>R), and Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA). Surprisingly, no significant changes in mother and infant cardiorespiratory measures were observed in the active contrary to the resting group and the use of massaging oil had no notable impact in the active group. We suggest that these lack of changes show that subtle experimental manipulations have an influence on maternal-infant co-regulation, emphasising the importance of using research designs that respect the individualised ecological environment of parent-infant interactions and the role of micro-processes and multisensory integration in shaping regulatory attachment dynamics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48222,"journal":{"name":"Infant Behavior & Development","volume":"79 ","pages":"Article 102051"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143593093","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ana Paula Constantino Fernandes , Celia Maria de Araujo , Anoek Marjelle Oerlemans , Marcos Roberto Fanton , Cintia Sanches , Ivaldo da Silva , Ana Carolina Coelho Milani , Jonathan Posner , Andrea Parolin Jackowski , Claudia Berlim de Mello
{"title":"Associations between maternal adverse childhood experiences and mind-mindedness: An analysis of mother-infant interaction","authors":"Ana Paula Constantino Fernandes , Celia Maria de Araujo , Anoek Marjelle Oerlemans , Marcos Roberto Fanton , Cintia Sanches , Ivaldo da Silva , Ana Carolina Coelho Milani , Jonathan Posner , Andrea Parolin Jackowski , Claudia Berlim de Mello","doi":"10.1016/j.infbeh.2025.102048","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.infbeh.2025.102048","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can influence parenting behaviours and have lasting effects on child development. This study investigated how maternal ACEs affect mind-mindedness during interactions between 69 Brazilian mothers and their six-month-old infants, and the role of stress in this relationship. Maternal vocalisations were coded for appropriate and non-attuned mind-related comments according to the Mind-Mindedness Coding Manual. The number of maternal ACEs was assessed using the CDC-Kaiser ACE Study Questionnaire. Current stress, postnatal depression, depression, anxiety, adverse life events, and resilience were assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Depression Scale Patient Health Questionnaire, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, the Inventory of Major Life Events, and the Resilience Scale, respectively. General Linear Models analysed associations between variables. The results showed no direct link between ACEs and mind-mindedness. However, stress moderated the relationship between maternal ACEs and appropriate mind-related comments. These findings suggest that maternal exposure to ACEs affects how mothers interpret their infants' mental states, particularly under stress. Understanding these relationships can guide interventions to support maternal mental health and foster positive parent-infant interactions, potentially preventing the intergenerational transmission of trauma.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48222,"journal":{"name":"Infant Behavior & Development","volume":"79 ","pages":"Article 102048"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143580168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Danielle N. Siegel , Safeer F. Siddicky , Wyatt D. Davis , Erin M. Mannen
{"title":"Infant muscle activity is modified by inclined environments during different styles of rolling","authors":"Danielle N. Siegel , Safeer F. Siddicky , Wyatt D. Davis , Erin M. Mannen","doi":"10.1016/j.infbeh.2025.102049","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.infbeh.2025.102049","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rolling is an important part of infant motor development and is largely affected by experiences and surroundings. The purpose of this study was to determine how inclined mechanical environments affect infant muscle activation during previously defined coordinated rolling movements. The results demonstrate that infant muscle utilization (age: 6.5 ± 0.7 months; 23 M/15 F) differs while achieving the same rolling movements on a flat surface compared to four inclined environments representing a range of inclines to which infants are commonly exposed. Thus, rolling milestone achievement on a firm flat surface is not indictive of the same ability to roll in inclined seated environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48222,"journal":{"name":"Infant Behavior & Development","volume":"79 ","pages":"Article 102049"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143579829","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Characterization of early skill profiles for infants across varying genetic likelihoods for neurodevelopmental disorders","authors":"A. Federico , J. Bradshaw","doi":"10.1016/j.infbeh.2025.102039","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.infbeh.2025.102039","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Several infant behaviors spanning multiple developmental domains have been identified as promising markers of early neurodivergence, such as ADHD or ASD. Some of these early markers include social-communication differences, atypical attention, and motor deficits. Research involving early predictors of ADHD features in infants is scarcer than research involving early predictors of ASD. However, studies among school-age children have observed comparable profiles of language, attention, and motor skills between children with ASD and children with ADHD. Given that assessing early features of ASD and ADHD is fundamental to increasing earlier diagnoses, this study examined parent-reported social-communication, attention, and motor profiles across 12-month-old infants at elevated genetic likelihoods for ASD (EL-ASD) and ADHD (EL-ADHD), and low genetic likelihood for either disorder (LL). Parent responses on the CSBS-CG, FYI, and EMQ were compared across the three groups. Results showed EL-ASD participants as scoring lower than both LL and EL-ADHD participants on parent-reported social skills and attention constructs (Responding to and Initiating Social Attention). Although FYI constructs are meant to measure attention, the Responding to and Initiating Social Attention subscales also include aspects of social communication. Differences between EL-ADHD and LL infants on measures of social-communication, motor, and attention skills were not observed, suggesting that parent-reported differences between EL-ADHD and LL infants’ behavior may not be as detectable during infancy as those associated with ASD. Future research is required to further the understanding of developmental differences of infants with features of ADHD.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48222,"journal":{"name":"Infant Behavior & Development","volume":"79 ","pages":"Article 102039"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143563529","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}