It was hypothesized that an accumulation of unfavorable conditions, i.e., high negative emotionality and low positive emotionality of the infant, maternal depression and anxiety, and lacking social and emotional support can attenuate mothers' reactivity/sensitivity. Maternal reactivity/sensitivity was observed during home visits and in the laboratory. Infant negative and positive emotionality was assessed by mother reports and behavioral observations. Maternal depressiveness/anxiety as well as social support were assessed via questionnaires. All mothers were primiparous and had healthy infants. Data collection was conducted at the infants' ages of four months (37 dyads) and eight months (33 dyads). The sample consisted of 19 male and 18 female infants (four-months' measurement). Whereas the presence of a single risk factor was not related to maternal reactivity/sensitivity, the combination was. A decrease in maternal reactivity/sensitivity over the course of time was demonstrated for mothers who had to deal with high negative emotionality of the infant in combination with either high depressiveness/anxiety or low social support at the infants' age of four months. No significant main or interaction effects could be shown for infant positive emotionality.RESUMEN: Se ha desarrollado una hipótesis que sostiene que una acumulación de condiciones desfavorables atenúa la reacción y la susceptibilidad de las madres. Entre estas condiciones se pueden citar las siguientes: un nivel altamente negativo de emotividad y la baja emotividad positiva del infante; la depresión maternal; la ansiedad y la falta de apoyo social y emocional. Este fenómeno de reacción/susceptibilidad maternal fue observado durante las visitas a casa y dentro del laboratorio. Tanto la negativa como la positiva emotividad del infante fueron evaluadas por medio de los informes de la madre y las observaciones de la conducta. La depresión/ansiedad de la madre, así como el apoyo social, fueron evaluados por medio de cuestionarios. Todas las madres eran primerizas y tenían infantes saludables. La recolección de los datos fue llevada a cabo cuando los infantes tenían 4 meses de nacidos (37 parejas de infantes-madre) y 8 meses (33 parejas). El grupo muestra estaba compuesto de 19 varones y 18 niñas (con respecto a la evaluación a los 4 meses). En aquellos casos en los que la presencia de un solo factorThe authors would like to thank PD Dr. C. Schubring, head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the Evangelical Hospital Giessen, as well as the neonatal nurses for the friendly cooperation with which they supported the present study. Special thanks also to the families who participated in the study. Direct correspondence to: Ulla Bade, Department of Medical Psychology, University of Giessen, Friedrichstrasse 36, D-35392 Giessen, Germany; e-mail: Ulla.Bade@psycho.med.uni-giessen.de. • B. Mertesacker et al.de riesgo no estuvo relacionado con la reacción/susceptibilidad de la madre, la combinación de factores si lo estuvo. Se demostró una baja...
Negative emotionality, as well as attachment security and disorganization, are seen as major contributors to social adjustment and maladjustment in childhood. However, relatively little is known about whether infant negative emotionality and attachment quality operate together to affect developing behavior problems. The present study thus aims to contribute to this question. Participants were 64 healthy firstborn children and their primary caregivers. Negative emotionality was assessed at the infant ages of 4, 8, and 12 months using laboratory routines. At 18 months, the Strange Situation procedure was conducted to assess infant attachment security and disorganization, and at 30 months, the child's behavior problems were assessed within a structured clinical interview. Attachment security and attachment disorganization were significantly associated with subsequent behavior problems. There was no significant relation between infant negative emotionality and behavior problems. However, there were indications of a stronger association between attachment disorganization and behavior problems in infants high in negative emotionality. The results underpin the importance of attachment quality as well as negative emotionality in social adjustment. Disorganized attachment precedes poor adjustment, especially in infants high in negative emotionality.
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