The role of maternal interactive behavior and gestational age in predicting infant affect during the Still-Face Paradigm

• Published in: Early human development Vol. 163; p. 105485
• Main Authors: Erickson, Sarah J., Kubinec, Nicole, Vaccaro, Suzanne, Moss, Natalia, Avila-Rieger, Rebecca, Rowland, Andrew, Lowe, Jean R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier B.V 01.12.2021
• Subjects: Emotion regulation; Infant affect; Maternal responsiveness; Prematurity; Stress reactivity; Infant affect; Maternal responsiveness; Prematurity; Emotion regulation; Stress reactivity
• ISSN: 0378-3782; 1872-6232
• DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2021.105485

Background: Emotion regulation develops through bidirectional affective communication. Aim: To investigate the role of maternal interactive behavior in predicting infant affect among preterm versus full-term infants. Study Design: The association between maternal interactive behavior (contingent, attention seeking, watching) and infant affect during a modified Still Face (SF) paradigm in a sample of 22 preterm and 28 full term infants (3 ½ - 4 ½ months old) was investigated. Methods: Maternal behavior and infant affect were coded in one second intervals. Results: Maternal contingent interaction was positively correlated with positive infant affect (p < 0.001 for Play; p < 0.001 for Reunion#1; p < 0.01 for Reunion#2, respectively), with a stronger association during the second reunion for preterm infants (p < 0.001). In the preterm sample but not in the full-term sample, attention seeking maternal interaction at Play (baseline), Reunion#1, and Reunion#2 were all positively correlated with negative infant affect at Still Face#2. Maternal watching was negatively associated with positive infant affect for the full sample for both Reunion episodes (p < 0.05). Full term infants' negative affect increased from baseline to the first SF episode and then plateaued, whereas preterm infants demonstrated greater negative affect and less recovery throughout. Mothers of full-term infants showed increased contingent responding after the first SF stressor, while mothers of preterm infants did not (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Preterm infants may be more susceptible to both positive and negative maternal behaviors and mothers of full-term infants may be more responsive to infants' increased distress. Relationship-focused interventions addressing maternal behaviors may enhance positive emotionality and improve self-regulation in medically at-risk infants. •Preterm infants appear more susceptible to positive aspects of maternal interaction.•Preterm infants appear more susceptible to negative aspects of maternal interaction.•Mothers of full-term infants may respond better to their infants' increased distress.•Maternal behaviors can be targeted to improve self-regulation in at-risk infants.