The emergence of mother-infant co-regulation during the first year: links to infants' developmental status and attachment.
This study examined development and stability in emerging patterns of co-regulation in mother-infant dyads (n=101) over the later half of the first year of life. Links to infants' attachment and developmental status were also examined. Co-regulated patterns of interactions demonstrated significant developmental shifts over time, with mother-infant dyads becoming increasingly more symmetrical and less unilateral in their interaction. Additionally, differences in co-regulation patterns at 6 months predicted subsequent attachment status at 12 months of age. Specifically, securely attached infants engaged in higher levels of symmetrical co-regulation with mothers at 6 months of age while insecurely attached infants engaged in more unilateral patterns of interactions. Furthermore, symmetrical co-regulation at 6 months was positively linked to infants' mental development and psychomotor development at 9 months of age while asymmetrical and unilateral patterns of co-regulation at 6 months was negatively linked to infants' mental development. Findings suggest an important antecedent role of early patterns of dyadic co-regulation to later developmental status and attachment organization.
Evans
Cortney A
CA
School of Family Life, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA.
Porter
Christin L
CL
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009769:Object Attachment; D010553:Personality Development; D011594:Psychometrics; D012737:Sex Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D055815:Young Adult