It takes two: Infants’ moderate negative reactivity and maternal sensitivity predict self-regulation in the preschool years.

Abstract

The aim of this longitudinal study was to examine the association of infant fussing and crying with self-regulation in toddlerhood and the preschool years, as well as the moderating role of maternal sensitivity therein. When children (n = 149, 53.69% boys) were 6 months old, parents reported on their fussing and crying using a cry diary, and maternal sensitivity was coded during a novel toy procedure. Children participated in various tasks to assess self-regulation in toddlerhood (18 months) and the preschool years (4.5 years). Results indicated that the relation between infant fussing and preschool self-regulation took the shape of an inverted U, but only for children of highly sensitive mothers. For infants of less sensitive mothers, fussing was not related to later self-regulation. Crying was unrelated to preschool self-regulation. Neither fussing, crying, nor maternal sensitivity predicted self-regulation in toddlerhood. The findings support the optimal arousal theory, by demonstrating that for infants of highly sensitive mothers, moderate amounts of low intensity negative reactivity are associated with enhanced self-regulation in the preschool years.

A dynamic systems perspective towards executive function development: Susceptibility at both ends for inhibitory control

“…In support of the optimal arousal perspective, a moderate level of fussing during infancy was associated with the highest level of inhibitory control and attention shifting among 4-year-olds (Geeraerts et al, 2020). Moderate fluctuations in salivate cortisol levels (a biomarker of stress) between 6 months and 4 years combined with low cortisol levels predicted better preschool executive function than highly stable or highly variant cortisol levels (Blair et al, 2017).…”

“…On the other end, infants with lower reactivity were also prone to maternal sensitivity in reducing affect dysregulation (Leerkes et al, 2009). Geeraerts et al (2020) found that infants with moderate levels of fussing were more susceptible to the effect of maternal sensitivity in the development of inhibition and attention shifting, showing an inverted U-shaped association. Other studies showed nonsignificant linear associations between child negative reactivity and executive function (e.g., Gartstein et al, 2013;Ku et al, 2019), possibly due to a lack of examination of quadratic effects.…”

Crying in the first 12 months of life: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of cross‐country parent‐reported data and modeling of the “cry curve”

“…Data were drawn from 17 countries (the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Denmark, Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Finland, Japan, South Korea, Israel, Mexico, Turkey, India, Sweden, see Figure 2a). Most of the studies were from Canada ( k = 9; Barr et al, 1989; Clifford et al, 2002a, 2002b; Fujiwara et al, 2012; Hunziker & Barr, 1986; Jordan et al, 2020; Kramer et al, 2001; Lam et al, 2010; Miller et al, 1993), the United States ( k = 9; Anzman‐Frasca et al, 2013; Atella et al, 2003; Blum et al, 2002; DeLeon & Karraker, 2007; Fujiwara et al, 2012; Geeraerts et al, 2020; McRury & Zolotor, 2010; Miller‐Loncar et al, 2004; Stifter et al, 2003) and the United Kingdom ( k = 14; Baildam et al, 1995; Bilgin & Wolke, 2020a; Darlington & Wright, 2006; Harrison, 2004; Killerby, 1992; Lucas & St. James‐Roberts, 1998; McGlaughlin & Grayson, 1999; St. James‐Roberts & Conroy, 2005; St. James‐Roberts & Menon‐Johansson, 1999; St. James‐Roberts et al, 1993, 1994, 2001, 2003, 2006).…”

Needing to shout to be heard? Affective dysregulation, caregiver under-responsivity, and disconnection between vocal signalling and autonomic arousal in infants from chaotic households

“…Results suggested that the relationship between household chaos and executive function was mediated by caregiver responsivity (Vernon-Feagans et al, 2016) (see also (Geeraerts et al, 2020;Song et al, 2018)).…”