title: Early Maternal Reflective Functioning and Infant Emotional Regulation in a Preterm Infant Sample at 6 Months Corrected Age.
abstract: This study investigated the influence of maternal reflective functioning (RF) on 6-month-old infants' emotional self-regulating abilities in preterm infant-mother dyads.
  
  
  
  25 preterm (gestational age 28-34.5 weeks) infants' affect, gaze toward mother, and self-soothing behaviors (thumb-sucking and playing with clothing) were measured during the still-face procedure at 6 months corrected age. Maternal RF was measured at 7-15 days post-delivery using the Parent Development Interview.
  
  
  
  Infants with high RF mothers showed the most negative affect during the still-face episode (M = 21.33s, SE = 5.44), whereas infants with low RF mothers showed the most negative affect in the reunion episode (M = 18.14s, SE = 3.69). Infants with high RF mothers showed significantly more self-soothing behaviors when distressed (Ms > 14.5s) than infants with low RF mothers (Ms < 1s), p's < .01.
  
  
  
  Maternal RF was associated with infants' self-regulating behavior, providing preliminary evidence for the regulatory role of maternal RF in preterm infants' emotion regulation capacity.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Australian Catholic University, michelle.delaney@acu.edu.au.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heron-Delaney
authors.affiliation: Recover Injury Research Centre, University of Queensland.
authors.forename: Justin A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Kenardy
authors.affiliation: Recover Injury Research Centre, University of Queensland.
authors.forename: Erin A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, The University of Queensland.
authors.forename: Chloe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jardine
authors.affiliation: Nursing and Midwifery, University of Queensland.
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bogossian
authors.affiliation: Monash University.
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Neuman
authors.affiliation: Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, and.
authors.forename: Therese
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: de Dassel
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine, Australian Catholic University.
authors.forename: Margo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pritchard
mesh_terms: D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D011581:Psychological Tests; D000068356:Self-Control / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: preterm infants; reflective functioning; relationship quality; still-face paradigm