Psychobiological aspects of infant crying

Author(s): Chasiotis, A., Risaupeters, J., Volker, S., Zach, U., Restemeier, R.

Journal/Book: Early Development Parenting. 1996; 5: Baffins Lane, Chichester, W Sussex, England PO19 1UD. John Wiley & Sons Ltd. 1-13.

Abstract: This study addresses the relationship between the amount of infant crying and maternal responsiveness to the infant's facial communicative cues during distress and non-distress situations. From an evolutionary perspective, the interpretation of infant crying as a communicative signal is preferred over its distance-regulating function. This view implies a relation between the amount of infant crying and parameters describing interactional regulation. Maternal responsiveness is operationalized by (a) the contingent reactions in a latency time span which define the intuitive character of parental behaviours (200-800 ms) and by (b) an event-based coding system of maternal inappropriate behaviour. Infant states (crying, fussing, sleeping and waking hours) were assessed by means of diaries kept by the mothers. In two samples (N=10, N=13, respectively), married, middle-class mothers were videotaped in free play situations with their healthy, firstborn children in their family homes. Results show that there is a strong intersituational consistency of maternal behaviour, but context-sensitive components of maternal behaviour could also be found. The contingency of maternal reactions during the free play situation can be regarded as a predictor of the duration of the infant's crying measured by a maternal diary. The whole pattern of the results confirms the regulatory function of infant crying in the context of early caregiver-child interactions.

Note: Article H Keller, Univ Osnabruck, Dept Psychol, Seminarstr 20, D-49069 Osnabruck, Germany

Keyword(s): infant crying; maternal responsiveness; caregiver-child interactions; CHILDHOOD; PATTERNS; LIFE

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