Work

Ordinary variations in human maternal caregiving in infancy and biobehavioral development in early childhood: A follow‐up study

Year: 2010

Type: article

Abstract: Rodent models of early caregiving find that pups reared by dams providing low levels of early stimulation subsequently display heightened stress reactivity and social aggression. We examined these effects in humans by investigating the effects of early caregiving on markers of biobehavioral development at ages 2 and 3 years. This study extended the findings reported by Hane and Fox (Hane and Fox [2006] Psychol. Sci. 17: 550-556) in which 185 mothers and infants were observed and scored for variations in maternal caregiving behavior (MCB) at age 9 months. Relative to young children who received high-quality MCB in infancy, those who received low-quality MCB showed significantly higher socially inhibited behavior with adults, right frontal electroencephalographam (EEG) asymmetry, aggressive play, and maternal reported internalizing behavior problems and anger proneness. These effects were independent of early temperamental reactivity. Results parallel rodent models and demonstrate that ordinary variations in MCB influence stress reactivity and social behavior in young children.

Source: Developmental Psychobiology

DOI: 10.1002/dev.20461

Authors: Amie Ashley Hane, Heather A. Henderson, Bethany C. Reeb‐Sutherland, Nathan A. Fox

Institutions: Williams College, University of Miami, University of Maryland, College Park

Language: English

Topic: Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: U.S. Public Health Service, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development