INFANT IRRITABILITY: IMPACT ON MOTHER AND CHILD

University Of Iowa, Iowa City IA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

DESCRIPTION: (Adapted from the Applicant's Abstract): Research on the impact of temperament on maternal and child functioning has important theoretical and clinical implications. The goal of this project is to study the impact of an infant temperament characteristic, irritability, on maternal mood, cognitions, and behavior and the subsequent infant-mother attachment relationship. Infant irritability is thought to influence early mother-infant interactions, influencing maternal sensitive responsiveness, self-efficacy and depression and the security of the infant's attachment relationship. The proposed research will examine the impact of irritability by 1) examining the development of these variables in irritable babies and their mothers and 2) studying the effect of an intervention to improve mother-infant interactions between irritable infants and their mothers.