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Mother-infant Interaction (mother-infant + interaction)
Selected AbstractsDetecting infants in need: Are complicated measures really necessary?INFANT MENTAL HEALTH JOURNAL, Issue 4 2007Kaija Puura The object of this paper was to study how the Baby Alarm Distress Scale (ADBB), developed as a simple screening tool for front line professionals working with infants, correlates with the more detailed assessment method of the Global Rating Scale (GRS) for Mother-Infant Interaction at two and four months. A sample of 127 eight- to eleven-week-old infants was videotaped in free interaction with their mothers, and infant interaction behavior was rated with both methods by independent researchers. Compared to the GRS infant scales the sensitivity of the ADBB, using the recommended cutoff point of 5 or more, was 0.77 and specificity 0.80. In further analyses it was found that deviant ratings of two items of the ADBB, the quality of eye contact between the infant and the caregiver and assessment of the sense of relationship between the infant and the caregiver, were the items most strongly associated with poor interaction skills of the infant on the GRS. Mothers of infants found deviant in the ADBB performed more poorly in the interaction with their infants when compared to mothers of infants found healthy in the ADBB. For the purpose of detecting deviations in infant interaction skills as signs of possible problems in early parent-infant interaction the ADBB seems to be a sufficiently sensitive and specific instrument. However, the results of this study still need to be tested with larger samples and against other observation methods. [source] Rhythm in Mother-Infant InteractionsINFANCY, Issue 2 2003Deborah F. Deckner Rhythmic behavior and the association of vocal rhythmic behavior with language development were studied in a sample of 30 mother-infant dyads. Dyads were observed in 2 contexts (1 involved sharing pictures and the other sharing musical toys) when infants were 18 and 24 months of age. Vocal rhythmic behavior was seen in both contexts, and in both contexts mothers matched their infant's vocal rhythmic behavior at greater than chance rates. Greater matching tended to be associated with higher language scores whereas, counter to prediction, higher rates of maternal vocal rhythmic behavior tended to be associated with lower language scores. At 24 months of age, mother-daughter dyads showed more matching than mother-son dyads. These results suggest that differences in maternal production of vocal rhythmic behavior may foster different language learning strategies. [source] Impact of mother interactive style on infant affect among babies exposed to alcohol in uteroINFANT MENTAL HEALTH JOURNAL, Issue 4 2006Jean Lowe This study examined the ability of infants prenatally exposed to alcohol to regulate their affect during and after a stressor. Specifically, the Still-Face Paradigm (Tronick, Als, Adamson, Wise, ' Brazelton, 1978) was used as a stress induction paradigm to assess both mother-infant interaction and infant self-regulation. In addition to the mothers' interactive style, the effect of mothers' drinking during and after pregnancy on the infant was explored. Participants were 76 six-month-old infants and their mothers. Infant affect and maternal interaction style was coded second-by-second for the 6 min of the Still-Face Paradigm. Results indicated that infants whose mothers made fewer attempts at engaging them during the play portion of the still-face (e.g., either watched their infant or paid minimal attention to their infant) showed greater negative affect in contrast to infants whose mothers played in an interactive manner. A gender effect was found among female infants. That is, female infants whose mothers drank more during pregnancy showed greater negative affect. The study demonstrates the possibility of early identification of negativity in infants with prenatal alcohol exposure. The impact of mother-child relationship on emotional regulation of infants prenatally alcohol exposed may be a target of future intervention and further study. [source] Child-Care Usage and Mother-Infant "Quality Time"JOURNAL OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY, Issue 1 2002Cathryn L. Booth Mothers' time-use patterns were compared in families in which infants spent more than 30 hours per week in child care (In-Care group; n= 143) versus 0 hours per week (At-Home group; n= 183) from birth to 6 months of age. In-Care group mothers spent about 12 fewer hours per week interacting with their infants, for about 32% less time; fathers of these infants were more involved in caregiving. The groups did not differ in the quality of mother-infant interaction. In the In-Care group, quantity of interaction was related to greater separation anxiety and concerns about effects of maternal employment. Time-use data were not related to child outcomes at 15 months of age. Results suggest that the effect of extensive time spent apart on the quantity and quality of mother-infant interaction may be smaller than anticipated. [source] Onset of Vocal Interaction Between Parents and Newborns in Skin-to-Skin Contact Immediately After Elective Cesarean SectionBIRTH, Issue 3 2010Marianne Velandia RNM Abstract:, Background:, Cesarean section is associated with delayed mother-infant interaction because neither the mother nor the father routinely maintains skin-to-skin contact with the infant after birth. The aim of the study was to explore and compare parent-newborn vocal interaction when the infant is placed in skin-to-skin contact either with the mother or the father immediately after a planned cesarean section. Methods:, A total of 37 healthy infants born to primiparas were randomized to 30 minutes of skin-to-skin contact either with fathers or mothers after an initial 5 minutes of skin-to-skin contact with the mothers after birth. The newborns' and parents' vocal interaction were recorded on a videotape and audiotape. The following variables were explored: newborns' and parents' soliciting, newborns' crying and whining, and parental speech directed to the other parent and to the newborn. Results:, Newborns' soliciting increased over time (p = 0.032). Both fathers and mothers in skin-to-skin contact communicated more vocally with the newborn than did fathers (p = 0.003) and mothers (p = 0.009) without skin-to-skin contact. Fathers in skin-to-skin contact also communicated more with the mother (p = 0.046) and performed more soliciting responses than the control fathers (p = 0.010). Infants in skin-to-skin contact with their fathers cried significantly less than those in skin-to-skin contact with their mothers (p = 0.002) and shifted to a relaxed state earlier than in skin-to-skin contact with mothers (p = 0.029). Conclusions:, Skin-to-skin contact between infants and parents immediately after planned cesarean section promotes vocal interaction. When placed in skin-to-skin contact and exposed to the parents' speech, the infants initiated communication with soliciting calls with the parents within approximately 15 minutes after birth. These findings give reason to encourage parents to keep the newborn in skin-to-skin contact after cesarean section, to support the early onset of the first vocal communication. (BIRTH 37:3 September 2010) [source] Early Contact versus Separation: Effects on Mother,Infant Interaction One Year LaterBIRTH, Issue 2 2009Ksenia Bystrova MD ABSTRACT: Background: A tradition of separation of the mother and baby after birth still persists in many parts of the world, including some parts of Russia, and often is combined with swaddling of the baby. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare possible long-term effects on mother-infant interaction of practices used in the delivery and maternity wards, including practices relating to mother-infant closeness versus separation.Methods:A total of 176 mother-infant pairs were randomized into four experimental groups: Group I infants were placed skin-to-skin with their mothers after birth, and had rooming-in while in the maternity ward. Group II infants were dressed and placed in their mothers' arms after birth, and roomed-in with their mothers in the maternity ward. Group III infants were kept in the nursery both after birth and while their mothers were in the maternity ward. Group IV infants were kept in the nursery after birth, but roomed-in with their mothers in the maternity ward. Equal numbers of infants were either swaddled or dressed in baby clothes. Episodes of early suckling in the delivery ward were noted. The mother-infant interaction was videotaped according to the Parent-Child Early Relational Assessment (PCERA) 1 year after birth.Results:The practice of skin-to-skin contact, early suckling, or both during the first 2 hours after birth when compared with separation between the mothers and their infants positively affected the PCERA variables maternal sensitivity, infant's self-regulation, and dyadic mutuality and reciprocity at 1 year after birth. The negative effect of a 2-hour separation after birth was not compensated for by the practice of rooming-in. These findings support the presence of a period after birth (the early "sensitive period") during which close contact between mother and infant may induce long-term positive effect on mother-infant interaction. In addition, swaddling of the infant was found to decrease the mother's responsiveness to the infant, her ability for positive affective involvement with the infant, and the mutuality and reciprocity in the dyad.Conclusions:Skin-to-skin contact, for 25 to 120 minutes after birth, early suckling, or both positively influenced mother-infant interaction 1 year later when compared with routines involving separation of mother and infant. [source] Postpartum Maternal Oxytocin Release by Newborns: Effects of Infant Hand Massage and SuckingBIRTH, Issue 1 2001Ann-Sofi Matthiesen BSc Background:Newborns placed skin-to-skin with their mothers show an inborn sequence of behavior similar to that seen in other mammals. The purpose of this study was to make a detailed exploration of hand movements and sucking behavior in healthy term newborns who were placed skin-to-skin on their mothers' chests, and to study maternal oxytocin release in relation to these behaviors.Methods:Ten vaginally delivered infants whose mothers had not been exposed to maternal analgesia were video-recorded from birth until the first breastfeeding. Video protocols were developed based on observations of the videotapes. Each infant's hand, finger, mouth, and tongue movements, positions of the hand and body, and sucking behavior were assessed every 30 seconds. Maternal blood samples were collected every 15 minutes, and oxytocin levels were analyzed by radioimmunoassay. A statistical test for establishing the relationship between maternal oxytocin levels and infants' hand movements or sucking behavior was developed.Results:Infants used their hands to explore and stimulate their mother's breast in preparation for the first breastfeeding. A coordinated pattern of infant hand and sucking movements was also identified. When the infants were sucking, the massagelike hand movements stopped and started again when the infants made a sucking pause. Periods of increased massagelike hand movements or sucking of the mother's breast were followed by an increase in maternal oxytocin levels (p < 0.005). Conclusions:The findings indicate that the newborns use their hands as well as their mouths to stimulate maternal oxytocin release after birth, which may have significance for uterine contraction, milk ejection, and mother-infant interaction. [source] Are regulatory problems in infancy precursors of later hyperkinetic symptoms?ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 11 2004K Becker Aim: To examine whether regulatory problems in infancy predict later hyperkinetic symptoms in childhood and pre-adolescence. Methods: In a prospective longitudinal study of 319 children at risk of later developmental problems and psychopathology, hyperkinetic behaviour problems were assessed at the ages of 2, 4.5, 8 and 11 y by means of a standardized parent interview. Infant regulatory problems at the age of 3 mo were determined from multiple sources of information. An observational procedure was used to assess the quality of mother-infant interaction. Results: At the age of 3 mo, 17% of the infants (n= 55; 27 boys, 28 girls) suffered from multiple regulatory problems. Compared to a control group (n= 264), these children presented more hyperkinetic symptoms throughout childhood. Negativity in the mother-infant interaction and early family adversity each contributed to later hyperkinetic symptoms. When controlling for family adversity, the association between infant multiple regulatory problems and later hyperkinetic problems was rendered insignificant. Conclusions: These findings suggest that multiple regulatory problems may not be a key variable for later hyperkinetic problems. The impact of early family adversity factors clearly outweighed that of infant psychopathology on later behaviour disorder. [source] Human breast areolae as scent organs: Morphological data and possible involvement in maternal-neonatal coadaptationDEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2006Benoist Schaal Abstract In humans, areolar skin glands (AG) enlarge during pregnancy and lactation. Their role in mother-infant interactions may pertain to protective, mechanical, and communicative functions. It was questioned here whether more profuse AG could be related to more optimal adaptation to breastfeeding. A morphological study of the areolae was undertaken between birth and day 3 to assess the number, secretory status, and spatial distribution of AG. These data were related to infants' weight variation, mothers' perception of their infant's behavior at breast, and time between delivery and onset of lactation. AG were seen in virtually all women but with great interindividual variations; their areolar distribution was nonrandom, and about 1/5 of the women had AG giving off a secretion. The AG number was positively related with neonatal weight gain between birth and day 3, and with the mother's perception of infant's latching speed and sucking activity. AG numbers were also positively related with the onset of lactation in first-time mothers. In conclusion, the maternal endowment in AG may contribute to the infants' breastfeeding performance, early growth, and the mother's lactation onset. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psyshobiol 48: 100,110, 2006. [source] A Longitudinal Examination of Physiological Regulation in Cocaine-Exposed Infants Across the First 7 Months of LifeINFANCY, Issue 1 2009Pamela Schuetze This study examined the association between prenatal exposure to cocaine and physiological regulation across the first 7 months of age. Measures of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) were obtained from 169 (82 cocaine-exposed and 87 nonexposed) infants during baseline periods at 1 month and 7 months of age and during tasks designed to elicit positive and negative affect at 7 months of age. After controlling for maternal age, gestational age, and obstetrical risk, structural equation modeling indicated that the association between prenatal exposure to cocaine and baseline RSA at 7 months of age was direct even in the presence of an indirect effect through baseline RSA at 1 month of age. There were no indirect effects through maternal affect during mother-infant interactions assessed at 1 month of age. Analyses also indicated a direct association between prenatal exposure to cocaine and RSA regulation to negative affect at 7 months of age. [source] Still-face and separation effects on depressed mother-infant interactionsINFANT MENTAL HEALTH JOURNAL, Issue 3 2007Tiffany Field Maternal emotional and physical unavailability have differential effects on infant interaction behavior as noted in a study by Field, Vega-Lahr, Scafidi, and Goldstein (1986). In that study, four-month-old infants experienced their mother's still face and a brief separation from the mother. Spontaneous interactions preceded and followed these to serve as baseline and reunion episodes. Although the infants became more negative and agitated during both conditions, the still face elicited more stressful behaviors. The present study replicated the Field et al. (1986) study but also compared infants of depressed and infants of nondepressed mothers. The infants of depressed versus those of nondepressed mothers were less interactive during the spontaneous interactions, as were their mothers, and they showed less distress behaviors during the still-face condition. During the "return to spontaneous interaction" following the still-face condition, they were also less interactive, as evidenced by fewer positive as well as fewer negative behaviors. Their mothers were also less active. The nondepressed mothers and infants were extremely active, as if trying to reinstate the initial spontaneous interaction. Minimal change occurred during the separation condition except that both groups of infants vocalized less than they had during the spontaneous interaction. During the reunion following the separation period, the infants of depressed versus nondepressed mothers were paradoxically more active, although their mothers continued to be less interactive. [source] Effects of Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Infant Gender on the Interactions Between Mothers and Their Medically At-Risk InfantsJOURNAL OF OBSTETRIC, GYNECOLOGIC & NEONATAL NURSING, Issue 1 2008June Cho ABSTRACT Objective:, To examine the effects of maternal depressive symptoms and infant gender on interactions between mothers and medically at-risk infants. Design:, Longitudinal, descriptive secondary analysis. Setting:, Neonatal intensive care unit, intermediate care unit, and infectious disease clinic of the tertiary medical centers in the Southeast and East. Participants:, One hundred and eight preterm infants and their mothers, 67 medically fragile infants and their mothers, and 83 infants seropositive for HIV and their primary caregivers were studied in their homes between 6 and 24 months. Main Outcome Measures:, Observation and the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment Inventory were used to assess the interactions of mothers and their medically at-risk infants. Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Results:, The level of depressive symptoms did not differ between the mothers of boys and mothers of girls in the three groups. Mothers of medically fragile infants had higher levels of depressive symptoms than mothers of preterm infants at 6 months corrected age and similar levels of depressive symptoms as HIV-positive mothers at 12 months. Mothers of medically fragile infants with elevated depressive symptoms were less attentive and more restrictive to their infants. HIV-positive mothers with elevated depressive symptoms were less attentive to their infants. The effects of gender on mother-infant interactions were not moderated by maternal depressive symptoms. Conclusion:, Maternal depressive symptoms had a somewhat negative effect on the interactions of mothers and medically at-risk infants. [source] A Review of Nursing Interventions to Foster Becoming a MotherJOURNAL OF OBSTETRIC, GYNECOLOGIC & NEONATAL NURSING, Issue 5 2006Ramona T. Mercer Objective:, To determine the current state of knowledge of nursing interventions that foster the process of becoming a mother. Data Sources:, A literature search was conducted using CINAHL and PubMed electronic databases and other key references. Study Selection:, Reports on nursing intervention research published in English that focused on a facet of maternal behavior in the process of becoming a mother during pregnancy or during the first 4 months following birth, or both, were included. Twenty eight reports were found. Data Extraction:, Studies were reviewed, categorized, and analyzed and interventions synthesized to determine the current knowledge base for fostering becoming a mother. Categories included instructions for infant caregiving, building awareness of and responsiveness to infant interactive capabilities, promoting maternal-infant attachment, maternal/social role preparation, and interactive therapeutic nurse-client relationships. Data Synthesis:, Interactive therapeutic nurse-client relationships and maternal/social role preparation had greater impact on variables indicating progress in becoming a mother than formal teaching. Instructions without nurse input were ineffective. Conclusions:, Interactive reciprocal nursing interventions are the most effective in enhancing mother-infant interactions and maternal knowledge about infant care. Evidence is limited on how to foster the mother's feelings about herself in becoming a mother and attachment to her infant. JOGNN, 35, 568-582; 2006. DOI: 10.1111/J.1552-6909.2006.00080.x [source] | |||||||||||||