The emergence of mother-infant co-regulation during the first year: links to infants' developmental status and attachment.

Full Abstract

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.

Author information

Author/s: Evans, Cortney A (CA); Porter, Christin L (CL);

Affiliation: School of Family Life, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Infant behavior & development (Infant Behav Dev), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Apr; vol 32 (issue 2) : pp 147-58

Dates: Created 2009/03/23; Completed 2009/06/11;

PMID: 19200603, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 6/11/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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