Influence of Dyadic Matching of Affect on Infant Self-Regulation

Abstract

Background/Aims: Affective behavioural matching during face-to-face interaction fosters the transition from mutual regulation to infant self-regulation. Optimum midrange models of mother-infant interaction hold that moderate degrees of dyadic matching facilitate infant socio-emotional development. The aim of this study was to examine which degree of dyadic matching is most beneficial for infant self-regulation. Methods: To evaluate this model, 3 groups of highly, midrange and poorly matched dyads were created from a mixed sample of 68 dyads with healthy and post-partum depressed mothers and their infants (age range = 1-8 months, mean age = 3.9 months). Mother-infant interactions were videotaped in the face-to-face still-face paradigm (FFSF) and micro-analytically coded. Specifically, the relation between affective behavioural matching in FFSF play and infant positive and negative affect in FFSF still face and FFSF reunion was explored. Results: Contrary to our expectation, we found a monotonous trend for all groups: the more matching in FFSF play, the more positive and less negative affect the infant showed in FFSF still face and FFSF reunion, respectively. Conclusion: The present findings further illuminate the association between different degrees of dyadic matching in early mother-infant interaction and infant self-regulation. Further research should focus on the integration and replication of findings and conceptual approaches to further evaluate and refine the concept of midrange matching and make it applicable to therapeutic work with mothers and their infants.

Effects of Maternal Anxiety Disorders on Infant Self-Comforting Behaviors: The Role of Maternal Bonding, Infant Gender and Age

“…Previous research on risk factors for infant development found a negative impact of maternal depression [17,18] and anxiety [19,20] and has focused on maternal sensitivity [21,22] and mother-infant interaction [23,24]. Recently, Dalsant et al [25] demonstrated that parental bonding moderated later stress response to social stimuli in the adult offspring.…”

What Dyadic Reparation Is Meant to Do: An Association with Infant Cortisol Reactivity

“…The establishment of this implicit knowledge of relationship might be of vital importance for infant emotional development. Recently, matching states were demonstrated to be associated to infant affective regulation [14]. Nevertheless, to our knowledge, there are no studies using micro-analytic and psychobiological measurements, which evaluate the hypothesis that short latencies to the reparation of micro-temporal affective mismatching states scaffold infant regulation whereas long latencies increase dysregulation and distress [15].…”

Dysfunctions in the Socio Emotional Development of Infants and Its Related Factors: An Integrative Review

“…The category "Limitations in Care" refers to the caregiver's actions toward the child regarding their protection, interaction, and affectionate relationships. In this category, the exposure factors were: Difficulties in interacting with the child, 13,[15][16]18,20,27,32,35,38,53,55,67,[75][76]81,86,90,93,96,101,116,119 Difficulties in meeting the socioemotional needs of the child, 61,79,91,99 Low duration of breastfeeding, 81 Attitude of overprotection towards children, 26 Anxiety of parents facing difficulties of the child, 112 Absence of caregiver affection towards the child, 118 Negative perception of children, 47,59 Absence of reading and learning moments with the child, 19,108 Excessive control and regulation of parents due to cultural influence, [110][111] Authoritative posture towards the child, 47,117 Presence of violence and abuse against children, 47,60,68,83,113 Absence of protection against accidents…”

“…[27][28]56,65,77 The category "Caregivers 'illness situation" refers to health-disease conditions that may impair the caregivers' ability to bond and provide affective relationships. In this category, the exposure factors were: presence of depression and stress of caregivers, 14,33,36,38,56,60,67,73,[75][76][78][79]94,98 schizophrenia and other mental disorders of caregivers, 39,68,89,97 anxiety of caregivers, 59 compulsive disorders in caregivers, 40 depression and pre and postnatal stress, 12,18,28,30,43,46,48,[51][52]57,[64][65]68,70,85,100,103 nutritional impairment during prenatal care 38 and caregivers' chemical dependence. 15,18,36,60,…”