Longitudinal Associations Between the Quality of Mother–Infant Interactions and Brain Development Across Infancy

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate if normative variations in parenting relate to brain development among typically-developing children. A sample of 352 mother-infant dyads came to the lab when infants were 5, 10, and 24 months of age (final N = 215). At each visit, child resting EEG was recorded. Mother-infant interactions were videotaped at the 5-month visit. The results indicated that higher-quality maternal behavior during mother-infant interactions predicted higher frontal resting EEG power at 10 and 24 months, as well as increases in power between 5 and 10 months, and between 10 and 24 months. These findings provide rare support for the hypothesis that normative variation in parenting quality may contribute to brain development among typically-developing infants.

Maternal behavior predicts infant neurophysiological and behavioral attention processes in the first year.

“…We examine whether maternal positive affect and intrusive behavior measured at 5 months in the context of two play based interactions predicts infants’ attention behavior and associated neural activity at 5 and 10 months. In a recent paper using data from the same sample of infants as the current work, we found that normative variation in caregiver behavior related to developmental change in baseline EEG power from 5 to 24 months (Bernier et al, in press). Thus, we hypothesize that early maternal caregiving behavior exhibited during regular interaction with the infant may have an effect on the development of infants’ attention behavior through its influence on the infant’s developing neurophysiological systems supporting attention development.…”

“…During this process, environmental experiences are thought to directly influence the synaptic connections that persist and are strengthened, or which are selectively eliminated due to lack of use (Greenough & Black, 1992; Nelson & Bloom, 1997; Singer, 1995). Recent work by our research group (Bernier, Calkins, & Bell, in press) has provided previously lacking empirical support for the notion that normative variation in caregiving behavior early in development is predictive of individual differences in brain development. Specifically, we found that more maternal positivity during interactions when infants were 5 months of age was associated with greater infant EEG alpha and theta baseline power at 10 and 24 months, and greater increases in baseline power between each age.…”

“…Thus, we hypothesize that early maternal caregiving behavior exhibited during regular interaction with the infant may have an effect on the development of infants’ attention behavior through its influence on the infant’s developing neurophysiological systems supporting attention development. This work provides an important empirical test of the widespread theoretical belief that the expansive influence of quality of caregiving behavior on a wide range of child functioning occurs through children’s neural circuity (Belksy & de Haan, 2011; Bernier et al, in press; Gunnar, 2003). …”

Changes in frontal EEG coherence across infancy predict cognitive abilities at age 3: The mediating role of attentional control.

“…However, extrinsic influences, most notably the caregiving environment, on the development of attention (Swingler, Perry, & Calkins, 2015) and cognition (Cuevas, Deater-Deckard, Kim-Spoon, Watson, Morasch, & Bell, 2014) have been noted. Although studies are beginning to expand on this basic model to include extrinsic influences on early neural maturation, attention, and cognition (Bernier, Calkins, & Bell, in press), many more are needed.…”

Predictores de una interacción eficaz entre madre e hijo/a en contextos de riesgo psicosocial.

“…Por otro lado, las madres negligentes se caracterizan por dar menos instrucciones a sus hijos/as, tener un menor nivel de actividad y estimular menos a sus hijos durante la interacción (Bousha & Twentyman,1984;Crittenden, 1981). Por tanto, estas prácticas, como elemento fundamental de los contextos de interacción, pueden incidir en la calidad del mismo, y como consecuencia en el desarrollo de los niños (Bernier, Calkins, & Bell, 2016;Orozco-Hormaza, Sánchez-Ríos, & Cerchiaro-Ceballos, 2012).…”