Adrenocortical and behavioral attunement in parents with 1-year-old infants.
Sethre-Hofstad et al. [2002, Psychoneuroendocrinology 27:731-747] found that behaviorally well-attuned or sensitive parents showed better physiological attunement with their 2- to 4-year-old toddlers' adrenocortical responses to a potentially challenging task than less sensitive parents. In the present study we aimed to replicate this finding in a sample of 83 parents with 15-month-old infants. Parental and infant cortisol responses were assessed using saliva samples collected before and 21 min after the child's confrontation with a stranger and a moving robot. Infant behaviors reflecting distress/uncertainty during the stranger-robot session were rated from videotape. Parental sensitivity was observed during a parent-infant teaching episode. Our findings replicate those of Sethre-Hofstad et al. [2002, Psychoneuroendocrinology 27:731-747] by showing correlated parent-infant cortisol responses for sensitive parents but not for less sensitive parents. Furthermore, sensitive parents cortisol responses were associated with their children's distress/uncertainty during the stranger-robot episode, whereas this was not true for less sensitive parents. Results indicate an important connection between behavior and physiology in parent-infant interactions that deserve more research.
van Bakel
Hedwig J A
HJ
Department of Psychology and Health Tilburg University P.O. Box 90153, 5000 LE Tilburg, The Netherlands. h.j.a.vanbakel@uvt.nl
Riksen-Walraven
J Marianne
JM
D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D010552:Personality Assessment; D010988:Play and Playthings; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D012931:Social Environment
D006854:Hydrocortisone