Predicting maternal reactivity/sensitivity: The role of infant emotionality, maternal depressiveness/anxiety, and social support

Abstract

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...

Observing sensitivity in slums in Yemen: the veiled challenge

“…A significant proportion of this variation within the sample (23%) could be explained by variations in educational level and social support. This confirms findings in previous studies (Mertesacker, Bade, Haverkock, & Pauli-Pott, 2004;Mesman, Van IJzendoorn , & Bakermans-Kranenburg, 2012) and suggests that the sensitivity observations tapped into meaningful variations in parenting patterns in this sample. This is further corroborated by the nonsignificant correlations between sensitivity and camera-related behaviors, showing that camera shyness did not unduly affect sensitivity scores.…”

Interactions between anxious mothers and their infants: An integration of theory and research findings

“…In two such studies, high scores on a separation anxiety questionnaire were associated with overprotective maternal behavior (Hock, McBride, & Gnezda, 1989;Stifter, Coulehan, & Fish, 1993); in one, mothers' retrospective accounts of felt anxiety after a premature birth were related to intrusive maternal behavior at 6 months' postpartum (Wijnorks, 1999); and in several studies, prenatal anxiety was related to intrusive and controlling behavior during the early postpartum period (Field, Sandberg, Vega-Lahr, Goldstein, & Guy, 1985;Heinicke, Diskin, Ramsey-Klee, & Given, 1983). Added to this list is the study of Feldman, Greenbaum, Mayes, and Erlich (1997), which showed that an increase in mothers' trait anxiety scores from 3 to 9 months' postpartum was associated with a concurrent decrease in maternal sensitivity (but not intrusiveness) (also see Mertesacker, Bade, Haverkock, & Pauli-Pott, 2004).…”

Mother–Infant Feeding Tool

“…The mother helps protect the infant's airway during feeding and provides comfort by aiding the infant in maintaining regulated behavioral, emotional, and physiological processes. Research has shown that maternal sensitivity to infant signals and timely and appropriate responsiveness to the infant's signals, pacing, and preferences are associated with positive infant developmental outcomes (Ainsworth, 1983;Egeland & Farber, 1984;Isabella, 1993;Mertesacker, Bade, Haverkock, & Pauli-Pott, 2004). Maternal sensitive and responsive behaviors during feeding are important for infant feeding outcomes (DeWitt et al, 1997;Pridham, Brown, Clark, Sondel, & Green, 2002;Thoyre & Brown, 2004;Valenzuela, 1997).…”