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Journal of Pediatric Psychology 9(2) pp. 131-147, 1984
© 1984 Society of Pediatric Psychology

research-article

Interrelationships Among Maternal and Infant Characteristics During the Neonatal Period

Christina M. B. Arco, Debra K. DeMeis, Patricia A. Self and Norah Gutrecht

University of Charleston, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, University of Oklahoma, University of California Irvine

Two studies were conducted to investigate patterns of interrelationships among maternal and neonatal behaviors and characteristics, and to identify significant predictors of maternal-neonatal interactive behaviors. Twenty 3-day-old neonates and their mothers participated in Experiment 1. The Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) was administered to infants on their 2nd or 3rd day, and then an observation of mother-neonate feeding interaction was conducted. Correlational and regression analyses indicated relationships of NBAS scores with maternal behaviors during feeding interactions and significant predictions of maternal and neonatal interactive behaviors by infant NBAS scores. Twenty-eight neonates and their mothers participated in Experiment 2. The observation of mother-neonate feeding interaction of Experiment I was employed with this sample. Regression analyses of infant sex, infant predominant state, parity, and method of feeding as predictors of interactive behaviors indicated that infant and mother visual regard, maternal smiling, and maternal tactile stimulation could be predicted from one or more of these background variables. Recommendations for hospital practices which encourage increased contact between newborns and parents, and provision of increased information to new parents are made and discussed in terms of promoting optimal early relationships between mothers and neonates.

Key words: mother-neonate interaction; infant individual differences; postpartum hospitalization.


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