Temporal Patterns of Infant Regulatory Behaviors in Relation to Maternal Mood and Soothing Strategies

Cornelia Mohr; Mirja H Gross-Hemmi; Andrea Hans Meyer; Frank H Wilhelm; Silvia Schneider

doi:10.1007/s10578-018-00862-5

Temporal Patterns of Infant Regulatory Behaviors in Relation to Maternal Mood and Soothing Strategies

Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2019 Aug;50(4):566-579. doi: 10.1007/s10578-018-00862-5.

Authors

Cornelia Mohr¹, Mirja H Gross-Hemmi², Andrea Hans Meyer³, Frank H Wilhelm⁴, Silvia Schneider⁵

Affiliations

¹ Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Massenbergstraße 9 -11, 44787, Bochum, Germany. cornelia.mohr@rub.de.
² Swiss Etiological Study of Adjustment and Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
³ Division of Clinical Psychology and Epidemiology, Department of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
⁴ Division of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
⁵ Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Massenbergstraße 9 -11, 44787, Bochum, Germany.

PMID: 30710313
DOI: 10.1007/s10578-018-00862-5

Abstract

This study investigates the temporal patterning of infant self-regulatory behaviors (crying/fussing, sleeping) in relation to both infant (age, sex, regulatory problems) and maternal variables (soothing behaviors, mood). Self-regulatory and soothing behaviors were assessed in 121 mother-infant dyads (4-44 weeks) by the Baby's Day Diary at 5 min intervals over 3 days. Further infant characteristics and maternal mood were assessed by questionnaires (DASS, CES-D, STAI) and the Diagnostic Interview for the Assessment of Regulatory Problems in Infancy and Toddlerhood. Data were analyzed using generalized additive mixed models. Negative maternal mood was associated with a deviant course of crying/fussing during the day. Body contact was associated with reduced variability in the 24 h course of sleep. Mother-infant transactional processes-above and beyond known relationships with overall levels of crying/fussing and sleeping-might play out on the temporal dimension of infant regulatory behaviors.

Keywords: Generalized additive mixed models; Infancy; Maternal mood; Parenting behaviors; Regulatory behaviors.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Crying / psychology
Female
Humans
Infant
Infant Behavior / psychology*
Male
Maternal Behavior / psychology*
Mother-Child Relations / psychology*
Self-Control / psychology*
Sleep
Surveys and Questionnaires