Examined the stress vulnerability of infants with disorganized/disoriented attachment patterns by measuring salivatory cortisol levels in 19-month olds following the Ainsworth Strange Situation procedure. Indicates that infants' disorganized attachment behavior reflects a vulnerability to stressful stimulation, suggesting a model of stress…

Infants at two, four, and six months of age learned a string-pulling task and were tested again two months later. Individual differences in emotional expressions of anger during extinction, and interest and enjoyment during learning, were stable over the two-month interval. (BC)

Observed the behavior of 37 infants in response to their mothers' normal and still face. Infants reduced their smiling and increased their gazing away from mother during the still face condition compared to normal face condition. Compared to three month olds, six month olds were more likely to use hand activities while gazing away from mother. (MM)

Observers used two Q-sorts to describe mothers' and infants' behavior at home. Mothers of more difficult children were less sensitive than other mothers. There was a strong relation between maternal sensitivity and infant attachment. Mothers of more secure infants noticed and enjoyed their babies more than mothers of less secure infants. (BC)

A search was made of confidential health department records in Great Britain for abused children, or children at risk for abuse, with siblings who had died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). An association was found between child abuse and about 10 percent of deaths of children diagnosed as SIDS. (BRM)

Parents completed the Infant Characteristics Questionnaire (ICQ), and their depression and anxiety were measured, during pregnancy and the postpartum period. The ICQ scores formed two components in the mothers' analysis, and one in the fathers'analysis. Predictors of postpartum ICQ scores were the postpartum ICQ components and the anxiety and…

This study evaluated the effects of completing infant development questionnaires on mothers whose ability to provide an appropriate caregiving environment for their infants was suspect. The 18 mothers who completed the questionnaire were found to be more accurate observers of their infants than 18 control mothers who had not completed the…

Describes infant and toddler biting behavior as related to developmental differences in exploring the environment, learning cause-effect relationships, and using power to elicit a response. Discusses ways to deal with biting at each level, how to support parents dealing with the behavior at home, and the importance of taking biting related to…

Three longitudinal studies examined means-ends behavior of 6- to 8-month olds. Found that intentional means-end behavior increased between 6 and 7 months, with 7-month olds' performance influenced by the presence of a toy on the cloth. Performance was the same when cloth was attached to or separate from the toy. By 8 months, infants adjusted…

The Caregiver-Environment scale was used to assess the caregiver interaction, play materials, and environmental conditions of 25 infant care centers. Results indicate evidence of construct validity when administrators and caregivers were employed as methods of measuring the effectiveness of the infant care facilities using the scale; however,…

Compared everyday infant experiences among central Africa's Aka hunter-gatherers and Ngandu farmers. Found that Aka were more likely to be held, fed, and asleep or drowsy. Ngandu were more likely to be alone and to fuss or cry, smile, vocalize, or play. Crying, soothing, feeding, and sleeping declined over time for both; distal social interaction…

A review of current research on outcomes of children born premature and low birth weight provides a detailed summary of the long-term performance in the areas of cognition, motor, behavior, and language performance. Three tables provide comparative data for major studies concerned with developmental outcomes of pre-term children for cognition,…

Evaluated respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and heart period in 5-month-olds during interaction challenges. Found that during object-mediated challenge, RSA increases were uniquely related to positive engagement. During person-mediated challenge, subjects showed more complex integration of autonomic and behavioral responses such that only infants…

Two experiments examined development of the ordinality concept in infants. Found that 11-month-olds successfully discriminated, whereas 9-month-olds failed to discriminate sequences that descended in numerical value from sequences increasing in numerical value. Nine-month-olds could discriminate the ordinal direction of sequences that varied in…

Assessed development of infants' sensitivity to two nested amodal temporal relations in audible and visible events. Found that sensitivity to synchrony was present by 4 weeks, remaining stable across age. Sensitivity to composition emerged by 7 weeks, increasing dramatically with age. Noted pattern of increasing specificity in perception…