Infant temperament and maternal sensitivity behavior in the first year of life.
Maternal sensitivity behavior (MSB) and infant temperament were investigated among 56 Finnish low-risk mothers and their full-term and healthy infants. The mothers were from families with good economic status, the infant's parents lived together, and the mothers were well educated. Mothers and infants were video-recorded in free-play situations at home, and evaluated using the Parent-Child Early Relational Assessment Scale (PCERA). The infants were also assessed using the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire (R-ITQ) and the Toddler Temperament Questionnaire (TTQ). Most of the temperament characteristics showed moderate stability during the first year. MSB was related to infant temperament characteristics at 3, 6 and 12 months of age. Gender differences in temperament were evident already at 6 and 12 months of age. Few prior studies have reported gender differences in infancy.
Kivijärvi
Marja
M
Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Finland. marja.kivijarvi@utu.fi
Räihä
Hannele
H
Kaljonen
Anne
A
Tamminen
Tuula
T
Piha
Jorma
J
D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D001722:Birth Order; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013694:Temperament