The influence of infant irritability on maternal sensitivity in a sample of very premature infants

The relationship between maternal sensitivity and infant irritability was investigated in a short‐term longitudinal study of 29 very preterm infants. Infant irritability was assessed at term with the Brazelton NBAS, the Mother and Baby Scales (MABS) and the Crying Pattern Questionnaire (CPQ). Maternal sensitivity was assessed by nurses' ratings in the neonatal care unit and at three months during mother–infant interaction observation. Cross‐lagged panel analysis indicated that neonatal irritability did not influence sensitivity at 3 months nor did maternal sensitivity in the newborn period lead to reduced irritability at 3 months. Both irritability and maternal sensitivity showed moderate stability over time (r = 0.55 and r = 0.60, respectively). It is concluded that in early infancy maternal sensitivity shows little influence on infant irritability in very preterm infants. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Situational affect and temperament: Implications for sibling caregiving

The caregiving behaviour of 60 preschool‐age children (M=50 months) toward their 16‐month‐old younger siblings was observed during a brief separation from their parents. Sibling caregiving was more strongly associated with parent ratings of both the older siblings' and toddlers' temperament than with the younger siblings' distress exhibited during the separation. The older siblings' social fear was positively related to providing care, whereas their temperamental activity level was negatively related to caregiving. Younger siblings' temperamental anger and soothability were positively associated with receiving care from an older sibling. Relations with temperament were independent of both children's distress levels during the separation, and in several instances, dispositional affective measures (i.e. temperament) made stronger contributions to the prediction of sibling caregiving than did situational distress. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Beauty,ugliness and the sublime

Jung and Freud had very different ideas about the nature of analysis. This paper begins by exploring how Jung's gnostic approach, with its goal of individuation, is deeply informed by Buddhist and Taoist principles. His pluralistic, relational model regards truth as subjective and co‐constructed with the patient. In contrast, Freud's secular methodology has objective truth as its goal. His classical psychoanalysis is a form of reality testing where the analyst claims to know the painful, singular, objective reality which the patient tries to evade. The theory of aesthetic development (see Piaget 1951, Baldwin 1975, Parsons 1980, Housen 1992, Harris Williams 2010) proposes that artistic appreciation is linked to human development. The paper looks at how the apperception of beauty, related to both truth and meaning, acts as an indicator and facilitator of individuation in the clinical encounter. This is illustrated by a clinical case study. Through empirical research, support is given to the argument (Bollas 1978, Meltzer 1988) that our early experience of the feminine/maternal plays a central role in developing an aesthetic capacity. The experience of the sublime in analysis is examined and portrayed as a means by which aesthetic development may be reignited and narcissistic isolation shattered.     

Infant sleep moderates the effect of infant temperament on maternal depressive symptoms,maternal sensitivity,and family functioning

Observed infant temperamental difficulty and infant sleep efficiency and sleep variability were examined as predictors of maternal depressive symptoms, maternal sensitivity, and family functioning. Eight observations at 8-months postpartum were used to assess infant temperament, and actigraphy was used to measure infant sleep for 1-week at the time of the 8-month assessment. Structured clinical interviews were used to assess maternal depressive symptoms between 5 and 12 months postpartum and at 15 months postpartum, and observational assessments were used to assess maternal sensitivity and family functioning at 15 months postpartum. Variability in infant sleep moderated the effect of infant temperament on maternal depressive symptoms, maternal sensitivity, and family functioning. Infant temperament was positively associated with maternal depressive symptoms when variability in infant sleep efficiency was high, but not when variability in infant sleep efficiency was low. Likewise, infant temperament was negatively associated with maternal sensitivity and family functioning when variability in infant sleep efficiency was high, but not when variability in infant sleep efficiency was low. Results underscore the importance of infant sleep for maternal and family health.     

Maternal and infant characteristics connected to shared pleasure in dyadic interaction

The aim of the study was to analyze which maternal factors (depressive symptoms, effect of life events, maternal sensitivity and structuring) and infant characteristics (temperament, social withdrawal symptoms, interactive behavior, genotype, gender) contribute to shared pleasure (SP) in parent–infant interaction. Participants were 113 mother–infant dyads. The mothers filled in the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the Infant Behavior Questionnaire, and the Life Events Questionnaire. The dyads were videotaped in a free-play situation, and the videos were analyzed using the Alarm Distress Baby Scale and the Emotional Availability Scales. The infants were genotyped for four genes involved in emotion regulation. The occurrence and duration of SP (SP-MD) in mother–infant interactions were analyzed from the videotapes. Higher maternal sensitivity and depressive symptoms, better infant responsiveness, and the infant having the GG variant of the gene tryptophan hydroxylase isoform 2 (TPH2) -307 were associated with the occurrence of SP. Lower level depressive symptoms, better maternal structuring, and greater infant involvement were associated with the longer duration of SP. Those dyads where the mother and infant were best able to read each other's positive cues and to respond to them were more likely to experience mutual positive affect, as seen in SP.     

儿童早期的母亲生活压力对其5岁行为问题的预测效应：链式中介分析

通过对107名幼儿及其母亲历时5年的5次追踪测量, 考察了儿童早期(9~38个月)母亲生活压力对5岁时儿童行为问题的预测效应及其作用机制。结果发现, 在儿童早期, 母亲生活压力具有相对的稳定性, 但引起母亲生活压力的主要生活事件排序有所变化; 儿童早期母亲生活压力对儿童行为问题的作用机制有两种方式：一方面表现为母亲生活压力对儿童5岁时的情绪症状和品行问题的直接效应; 另一方面表现为通过减少母亲积极养育行为进一步影响儿童情绪症状和同伴问题的间接效应; 此外, 儿童早期母亲生活压力还通过积极养育和儿童努力控制的链式中介作用对儿童过度活跃和亲社会行为产生影响。结论:母亲生活压力对儿童行为问题具有预测效应, 这种效应的机制包括母亲生活压力的直接效应以及通过积极养育、努力控制的间接效应。     

Sociocultural developmental approaches to autobiographical memory

The sociocultural developmental model of autobiographical memory development has been a highly generative theoretical framework over the past 30 years, garnering both a great deal of empirical attention and support. In this article, the author details the theoretical framework and reviews the empirical evidence that indicates that individual differences in maternal reminiscing style has profound and enduring implications for the development of autobiographical memory. Concurrent, longitudinal, and experimental intervention research has demonstrated that mothers who reminisce in more highly elaborated ways with their preschool children facilitate the development of more elaborate and coherent autobiographical memories.     

基于气质视角的情绪调节与儿童问题行为

问题行为作为儿童期的异常行为妨碍儿童正常的社会适应, 通常包括内化和外化问题行为。儿童情绪调节功能的异常被认为是其主要影响因素, 相关成因亦源于儿童自身的气质特征。在对国内外相关研究梳理的基础上, 从气质的四个维度出发(积极情感/接近、恐惧/行为抑制、愤怒/烦躁、努力控制)分析了情绪调节与常见调节策略对儿童问题行为的影响及相应的情绪调节训练干预。未来研究应结合儿童气质特征, 深入探讨气质各维度之间的交互作用与儿童情绪调节以及问题行为之间的关系, 并在纵向研究中加入神经生理相关技术, 考察三者在儿童发展过程中的关系, 此外还应开展国内本土化研究, 开发适合我国问题行为儿童的实践干预方案, 促进儿童情绪社会化的健康发展。     

青少年早期内化问题的稳定性及其与母亲教养的关系

通过对502名11岁城市青少年为期2年的追踪调查,考察了青少年早期内化问题发展的稳定性及母亲教养对1年后青少年内化问题的预测.结果发现:(1)青少年早期的内化问题具有较高的稳定性,与男青少年相比,女青少年保持较高的内化问题水平;(2)母亲控制惩罚教养可以正向预测1年后男青少年的内化问题,母亲温情引导可以负向预测女青少年的内化问题.青少年先前的内化问题对母亲教养与其1年后内化问题之间关系的调节作用存在性别差异:对于先前内化问题水平较高的男青少年而言,母亲较高的温情引导和控制惩罚教养正向预测其1年后的内化问题;对于先前内化问题水平较高的女青少年而言,母亲较多的温情引导则负向预测其1年后的内化问题.