The physiological mechanisms of emotion regulation during infancy: the role of maternal and paternal behaviors
Pruitt, Megan Michelle
Pruitt, Megan Michelle
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Date
2018
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Abstract
The purpose of the current study was to examine the impact of infant characteristics and parent characteristics on infant emotion regulation. However, it was hypothesized that this relationship would be mediated by parenting behaviors (i.e., touch). Further, this study examined these processes in mother-infant and father-infant dyads. Eighty-three mothers and fathers completed the study with their infant. Infants were placed in a high chair and the parent was seated in a chair face-to-face with their infant. Next, the still face paradigm (SFP) was completed with the mother and the father. This study found that mothers and fathers did not differ in the amounts of overall touch used and mothers only engaged in more passive accompaniment than fathers. Mothers and fathers increased overall levels of touch following distress as well as reduced playful touch during this time. This study replicated the still face effect by demonstrating higher levels of negative affect and self-soothing during the SF episode. Attention-getting touch during the FP and RE was associated with continued physiological regulation during the RE but also with behavioral recovery. Paternal attention-getting touch was associated with poor physiological regulation and recovery. Playful touch however, and not just active accompaniment, was associated with great regulation and better recovery with interactions with fathers suggesting that the playful touch fathers provide aids in infant emotion regulation.
Contents
Subject
Subject(s)
Emotions in infants Physiological aspects.
Infant psychology.
Mother and infant.
Father and infant.
Infant psychology.
Mother and infant.
Father and infant.
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Dissertation
Description
Format
1 online resource (iv, 92 pages) :
Department
Psychology