Quantifies behavioral periodicities or cycles during face-to-face interaction between three- and five-month-old term and preterm infants and their mothers. Compares the temporal organization of social interaction between term and preterm infants. Spectral and cross-spectral techniques showed the existence of periodicities. Differences were found…

Examined the evidence for the reciprocity of negative affect between mothers and young children in disciplinary encounters. Although children responded contingently and reciprocally to maternal negativity, they also reacted negatively to maternal positive affect. (SH)

Tests three previously untested hypotheses central to the theory of Brazelton and colleagues about the sequential structure of mother-infant face-to-face interaction. Results show that with some revision the hypotheses describe the structure of mother-infant face-to-face interaction from three to nine months of age. (Author/RH)

Considers three questions: Do mothers of siblings show consistency in behavior to their children when observed with each child at 24 months? What stability is there in behavior of mothers toward their children from 12 to 24 months? Are sibling status or genetic factors related to differences between mothers in relative consistency or inconsistency…

Two-step (if -then) behavioral contingencies in the naturally occurring conflicts of 2- and 4-year-old siblings were identified and described. Children's crying, compliance, ignoring, opposition, power, and reasoning strategies were examined to determine how they were used immediately following opposition, power, and reasoning from siblings and…

The study investigated variation in infant behaviors and maternal responses among dyads with 18 handicapped and 18 normal infants. Mother-infant interaction sessions were videotaped and motor evaluations conducted. Data collected included behavioral ratings of infant affect and of infant looking patterns, ratings of maternal behavior in play with…

Studies the communication of affect between depressed mothers and their infants and its relation to infant socioemotional and cognitive development through face-to-face interaction. Findings indicate that there are correspondences between the behavior of depressed mothers and their infants. (Author/BB)

Families in which one or both parents are diagnosed as being depressed are observed in this ongoing study of how the behavior of depressed parents relates to the child's present and long-term development. Each family which enters the study has a child approximately two years old and a child between five and seven years old. Families are initially…

The Mutual Regulatory Model is used to describe the infants' dual task of regulating simultaneously his internal emotional state and his engagement with the external environment. (Author/BB)

Observed face-to-face interactions between 39 mothers and their first and second-born two-month olds to evaluate within-family differences in maternal affective behavior toward siblings. Found that mothers were more positive with second-borns than firstborns, and second-borns were more positive than firstborns. Siblings' affective behaviors were…

Combines and examines evidence from two longitudinal studies of infant and family development to determine whether experience of extensive nonmaternal care in the first year is associated with heightened risk of insecure infant-mother attachment and, in the case of sons, infant-father attachment. (Author/RWB)

Study findings indicate that maternal depression is prevalent among low-income mothers with infants. Depressed mothers are more likely than nondepressed mothers to show hostile and intrusive behavior toward their infants, and infants of depressed mothers are more likely to exhibit slowed development and unstable avoidance attachment behaviors.…

This secondary analysis of De Wolff and van IJzendoorn's (1997) meta-analysis of maternal behavior and attachment reexamined their conclusion that sensitivity was not a preferred predictor of attachment security. The meta-analysis included 66 studies with 123 effect sizes sorted through a combination of personal choice and homogeneity analysis…

An exploratory study examined the origins of children's motivational patterns in the family by observing 10 helpless and 11 mastery-oriented third graders. Findings are consistent with the hypothesis that mothers of mastery children may socialize their children's achievement motivation. (SLD)