Dieter Beckmann

Predicting the development of infant emotionality from maternal characteristics

Few studies have examined the associations between environmental conditions and developing infant emotionality or the differential susceptibility to those conditions. The present longitudinal study aims to make a contribution to close that gap. We analyzed whether positive emotionality, negative emotionality/irritability, and withdrawal/fear at the end of the first year of life are predictable from preceding caregivers depression/anxiety, social support, and sensitivity in the interaction with the infant while controlling for antecedent states of emotionality. Furthermore, the question of whether associations between maternal characteristics and subsequent fear are stronger in the subgroup of infants high in irritability as opposed to those who are low in irritability was investigated. Subjects were 101 healthy firstborn infants and their primary caregivers. Assessments were conducted at infant ages of 4, 8, and 12 months. Depression, anxiety, and the social support of the caregiver were assessed by questionnaire. Sensitivity in the caregiver-infant interaction was assessed by behavior observations within the scope of home visits. Temperament characteristics were observed in standardized laboratory episodes. Whereas negative emotionality and withdrawal/fear were significantly predictable from the maternal characteristics, no predictability could be shown for developing positive emotionality. There were indications of a stronger association between the maternal characteristics and developing withdrawal/fear in irritable infants.

Infants with atopic dermatitis: maternal hopelessness, child-rearing attitudes and perceived infant temperament.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common disease of childhood. It frequently starts in the first year of life. There is agreement on the existence of psychological influences on this disease. Although some studies in this field examine aspects of the parent-child relationship, studies concerning early infancy are very rare. The present study was conducted in order to find out whether maternal characteristics relevant to the mother-infant relationship, i.e. depressiveness/hopelessness, child-rearing attitudes and perceived infant behaviour, associated with infant AD. Methods: Two cohorts (3- to 4-month- and 10- to 12-month-old infants), each with 20 infants suffering from AD, and 20 healthy infants were recruited. AD infants were further divided into subgroups according to the diagnostic criteria: atopic family history, itching and characteristic locations of eczema. After a paediatric examination of the infant, mothers completed standardized questionnaires concerning depressiveness/hopelessness, child-rearing attitudes and perception of infant behaviour. Results: Varying with different diagnostic features of the infants’ AD, mothers of AD infants described themselves as more depressive/hopeless, as more anxious/overprotective and characterized their infant as less frequently positive and more frequently negative in its emotional behaviour compared to the control group. Conclusion: The results underline the importance of psychological support for mothers of infants with AD.

Parental perceptions and infant temperament development

Abstract The assumption that subjective parental perceptions of infant affective temperament characteristics as measured by parent reports influence the development of these characteristics has occasionally been considered in the literature. The present study investigates whether parental perceptions concerning infant positive emotionality, negative emotionality and fear are predictive of the subsequent development of these characteristics. One hundred and one infants and their primary caregivers were observed at infant ages of 4, 8, and 12 months. At each age the temperament characteristics were assessed using standardized laboratory routines and parent reports. A structural equation model with observed variables was specified and evaluated. It was shown that in most cases parental perceptions preceded the observed temperament characteristic. Specifically, the caregiver’s perception of the 4-month-old as high in positive emotionality was followed by higher positive emotionality in the infant at 8 months and the perception of high negative emotionality at 8 months was followed by high negative emotionality at 12 months. In the case of fear, predictability from the caregiver’s preceding expectations was demonstrated between 4 and 8 as well as between 8 and 12 months. The findings suggest that parents shape the developing infant temperament characteristics according to their perceptions.

Contexts of relations of infant negative emotionality to caregiver’s reactivity/sensitivity☆☆

Abstract The aim of the study was to examine whether and how infant negative emotionality, depression in the caregiver, and marital emotional support are related to the caregiver’s reactivity/sensitivity. The central question concerned interaction effects between these risk factors. Furthermore, it was of special interest whether there were interaction effects of infant positive and negative emotionality on the reactivity/sensitivity of the caregiver. Participants were 101 mothers and their healthy 4-month-olds. The infant temperament characteristics were measured by parent report as well as in the laboratory. Caregiver behavior was observed during home visits. Hierarchical regression analyses were computed. Whereas there were no direct associations between either maternal depression or infant negative emotionality and maternal reactivity/sensitivity, the interaction of the two risk factors proved highly significant. Good marital support was directly linked to maternal reactivity/sensitivity. The relevance of positive infant emotionality could not be demonstrated.

Negative emotionality, attachment quality, and behavior problems in early childhood

Negative emotionality, as well as attachment security and disorganization, are seen as major contributors to social adjustment and maladjustment in childhood. However, relatively little is known about whether infant negative emotionality and attachment quality operate together to affect developing behavior problems. The present study thus aims to contribute to this question. Participants were 64 healthy firstborn children and their primary caregivers. Negative emotionality was assessed at the infant ages of 4, 8, and 12 months using laboratory routines. At 18 months, the Strange Situation procedure was conducted to assess infant attachment security and disorganization, and at 30 months, the childs behavior problems were assessed within a structured clinical interview. Attachment security and attachment disorganization were significantly associated with subsequent behavior problems. There was no significant relation between infant negative emotionality and behavior problems. However, there were indications of a stronger association between attachment disorganization and behavior problems in infants high in negative emotionality. The results underpin the importance of attachment quality as well as negative emotionality in social adjustment. Disorganized attachment precedes poor adjustment, especially in infants high in negative emotionality.

On the association of interparental conflict with developing behavioral inhibition and behavior problems in early childhood.

Associations between interparental conflict and the development of temperament characteristics have seldom been addressed; moreover, studies on the impact of interparental conflict on developing behavior problems in infancy and early childhood are relatively rare. The authors therefore aimed to contribute to the study of these issues. A sample of 64 families was investigated longitudinally. At the infant age of 4 months, negative emotionality was measured with a laboratory routine. When infants were 4, 8, and 12 months old, maternal sensitivity was assessed during home observations, and interparental conflict was measured by means of questionnaires. When infants were 30 months old, behavioral inhibition was measured in 2 laboratory fear episodes, and behavior problems were assessed with a structured clinical interview of the primary caregiver. Interparental conflict and infant negative emotionality were significantly and independently associated with subsequent behavioral inhibition. The association of interparental conflict with behavior problems was moderated by infant negative emotionality. Infants high in negative emotionality developed more serious behavior problems when exposed to high interparental conflict, whereas the association was not significant in infants low in negative emotionality.

[A questionnaire for assessment of "temprament in early childhood" as judged by parents].

OBJECTIVES This study assesses a German version of Rothbarts Infant Behavior Questionnaire for the internal consistency, inter-correlations and stability of the scales. Associations between the scales with maternal depression and anxiety are analyzed. METHODS Independent samples of infants aged 6 to 8 months and 10 to 12 months (n = 149, respectively n = 109) and their mothers were studied. A longitudinal study of a sample of 101 mother-infant pairs was carried out at the infants age of 4, 8 and 12 months. RESULTS The internal consistency and independence of the five scales on the questionnaire are satisfactory. The stability coefficients correspond to a good degree to those of the American version of the IBQ scales. CONCLUSIONS Thus a German version is now available that can be used in research and practice to measure the features of early childhood temperament by parental report.Zusammenfassung: Fragestellung: Eine deutschsprachige Adaptation des Infant Behavior Questionnaire von Rothbart wird hinsichtlich der internen Konsistenzen der Skalen, der Skaleninterkorrelationen und Stabilitat untersucht. Mogliche Zusammenhange der Skalen mit der Depressivitat und Angstlichkeit der beurteilenden Mutter werden gepruft. Methode: Untersucht werden unabhangige Stichproben 6-8- und 10-12-monatiger Sauglinge (n = 149 resp. n = 109) und deren Bezugspersonen. Eine Stichprobe von 101 Mutter-Saugling-Paaren wird im Langsschnitt, im Alter der Sauglinge von vier, acht und 12 Monaten untersucht. Ergebnis: Die funf Skalen des Fragebogens sind in den beiden Altersgruppen zufriedenstellend intern konsistent und unabhangig voneinander. Die Stabilitatskoeffizienten entsprechen denen der amerikanischen Version des Verfahrens. Schlussfolgerung: Damit liegt ein in der Forschung und Praxis verwendbares deutschsprachiges Verfahren zur Messung fruhkindlicher Temperamentsmerkmale im Elternurteil vor.

Ein Fragebogen zur Erfassung des «frühkindlichen Temperaments» im Elternurteil *Teile der präsentierten Daten wurden im Rahmen einer durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) geförderten Studie gewonnen (Kennziffern: Pa 543/2-1, 2-2, 2-3, 2-4).

OBJECTIVES This study assesses a German version of Rothbarts Infant Behavior Questionnaire for the internal consistency, inter-correlations and stability of the scales. Associations between the scales with maternal depression and anxiety are analyzed. METHODS Independent samples of infants aged 6 to 8 months and 10 to 12 months (n = 149, respectively n = 109) and their mothers were studied. A longitudinal study of a sample of 101 mother-infant pairs was carried out at the infants age of 4, 8 and 12 months. RESULTS The internal consistency and independence of the five scales on the questionnaire are satisfactory. The stability coefficients correspond to a good degree to those of the American version of the IBQ scales. CONCLUSIONS Thus a German version is now available that can be used in research and practice to measure the features of early childhood temperament by parental report.Zusammenfassung: Fragestellung: Eine deutschsprachige Adaptation des Infant Behavior Questionnaire von Rothbart wird hinsichtlich der internen Konsistenzen der Skalen, der Skaleninterkorrelationen und Stabilitat untersucht. Mogliche Zusammenhange der Skalen mit der Depressivitat und Angstlichkeit der beurteilenden Mutter werden gepruft. Methode: Untersucht werden unabhangige Stichproben 6-8- und 10-12-monatiger Sauglinge (n = 149 resp. n = 109) und deren Bezugspersonen. Eine Stichprobe von 101 Mutter-Saugling-Paaren wird im Langsschnitt, im Alter der Sauglinge von vier, acht und 12 Monaten untersucht. Ergebnis: Die funf Skalen des Fragebogens sind in den beiden Altersgruppen zufriedenstellend intern konsistent und unabhangig voneinander. Die Stabilitatskoeffizienten entsprechen denen der amerikanischen Version des Verfahrens. Schlussfolgerung: Damit liegt ein in der Forschung und Praxis verwendbares deutschsprachiges Verfahren zur Messung fruhkindlicher Temperamentsmerkmale im Elternurteil vor.

Comparing assessment methods of infant emotionality

Zusammenfassung: Das Konstrukt der «fruhkindlichen Emotionalitat» (synonym: affektive Temperamentsmerkmale) wird in der entwicklungspsychopathologischen, der entwicklungspsychologischen und der kinder- und jugendpsychiatrischen Theorienbildung und Forschung haufig verwendet. Die valide Erfassung des Konstrukts ist jedoch nicht unproblematisch. Elternurteile und naturalistische Verhaltensbeobachtungen in der Mutter-Kind-Interaktion konnen durch elterliche Merkmale verzerrt sein, standardisierte Beobachtungsroutinen sind oftmals nicht hinreichend validiert. Hier werden drei unterschiedliche Methoden im Hinblick auf drei affektive Temperamentsdimensionen zu drei Zeitpunkten im ersten Lebensjahr untersucht. Die Fragestellungen betreffen Aspekte der Validitat der Verfahren und die Assoziation der Messwerte mit Merkmalen der Bezugsperson, ihrer Depressivitat, Angstlichkeit und Schulbildung. Untersucht wurde eine Stichprobe von 101 gesunden Erstgeborenen und deren primarer Bezugsperson im Alter der Sauglinge von...

Ein Vergleich unterschiedlicher Erfassungsmethoden der frühkindlichen Emotionalität * Die Studie wurde durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft gefördert (Kennziffern: Pa 543/2-1,2-2,2-3,2-4).

Zusammenfassung: Das Konstrukt der «fruhkindlichen Emotionalitat» (synonym: affektive Temperamentsmerkmale) wird in der entwicklungspsychopathologischen, der entwicklungspsychologischen und der kinder- und jugendpsychiatrischen Theorienbildung und Forschung haufig verwendet. Die valide Erfassung des Konstrukts ist jedoch nicht unproblematisch. Elternurteile und naturalistische Verhaltensbeobachtungen in der Mutter-Kind-Interaktion konnen durch elterliche Merkmale verzerrt sein, standardisierte Beobachtungsroutinen sind oftmals nicht hinreichend validiert. Hier werden drei unterschiedliche Methoden im Hinblick auf drei affektive Temperamentsdimensionen zu drei Zeitpunkten im ersten Lebensjahr untersucht. Die Fragestellungen betreffen Aspekte der Validitat der Verfahren und die Assoziation der Messwerte mit Merkmalen der Bezugsperson, ihrer Depressivitat, Angstlichkeit und Schulbildung. Untersucht wurde eine Stichprobe von 101 gesunden Erstgeborenen und deren primarer Bezugsperson im Alter der Sauglinge von...