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Bhadelia A, Barr KR, John JR, Jalaludin B, Dissanyake C, Williams K, Woolfenden S, Eapen V. Difficult Toddler Temperament - Prevalence and Associated Factors at 18-Month Follow-Up of a Birth Cohort. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2024; 20:967-977. [PMID: 38741582 PMCID: PMC11090188 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s454949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Difficult temperament coupled with other risk factors may lead to mental health problems in childhood and have long-lasting effects in adolescence and adulthood. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of parental perception of difficult temperament in toddlers and identify significant factors associated with individual and family-level sociodemographic risk factors. Patients and Methods The prevalence of parental perception of difficult temperament was derived from items in the 18-month follow-up questionnaire within the Watch Me Grow (WMG) longitudinal birth cohort study in a multicultural and socioeconomically disadvantaged community in Sydney, Australia. Data was available for 500 children and their parents. Descriptive analysis was used to calculate the participant characteristics and the prevalence of parental perception of difficult temperament, whereas multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess significant risk factors associated with a difficult temperament. Results Parental perception of difficult temperament in the cohort was 7.3% (n = 492). Findings of the multivariable logistic regression showed that screen time >2 hours a day (AOR 2.43, 95% CI: 1.2, 4.9), child not being read to (AOR 3.92, 95% CI: 1.8, 8.5), and family history of mental health problems (AOR 2.69, 95% CI: 1.1, 6.5) significantly increased the odds of having a difficult temperament. Conclusion Toddlers with difficult temperament were less likely to have received stimulatory experiences, and their families were more likely to be under greater stress. The findings emphasize the importance of parental support and anticipatory guidance in promoting nurturing care to facilitate child health and development, particularly in disadvantaged communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- A’ishah Bhadelia
- School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Karlen R Barr
- South Western Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
| | - James Rufus John
- School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- South Western Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
- Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
| | - Bin Jalaludin
- Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
- School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Cheryl Dissanyake
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Katrina Williams
- Department of Paediatrics, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Susan Woolfenden
- Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Valsamma Eapen
- School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- South Western Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
- Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
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2
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Amano M, Matsumoto H, Honda C, Yoshioka-Maeda K. Predictors of parenting difficulties at the 18-month health checkups: A retrospective study using administrative data from infant health checkups. Public Health Nurs 2024; 41:298-309. [PMID: 38155369 DOI: 10.1111/phn.13277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to identify predictors of parenting difficulties at 18 months from the results of the 4-, 6-7-, and 9-10-month infant health checkups among caregivers who had not experienced difficulties at 4 months. DESIGN AND SAMPLES This retrospective study used data from infant health checkups conducted in a city in Tokyo from November 2019 to October 2021. The participants were caregiver-child dyads of children who had undergone four checkups. Low birthweight, preterm, and multiple birth infants, and caregivers who experienced difficulties at 4 months were excluded. MEASUREMENTS Data included caregiver, child-rearing environment, and child factors at the 4-, 6-7-, and 9-10-month checkups and caregivers' self-reported parenting difficulties at the 18-month checkup. RESULTS Of the 555 caregivers, 48 (8.6%) experienced parenting difficulties at 18 months. Logistic regression analyses showed that mothers' physical condition (4 months), children being male, abnormal child growth (4 months), less than 10th percentile for children's height (6-7 and 9-10 months), and abnormal examination results (6-7 months) were significantly associated with parenting difficulties at 18 months. CONCLUSIONS To prevent child abuse, public health nurses should consider the identified factors to detect and support caregivers with emerging parenting difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moe Amano
- Department of Community Health Nursing, Division of Health Sciences and Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroshige Matsumoto
- Department of Community Health Nursing, Division of Health Sciences and Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chikako Honda
- Department of Community Health Nursing, Division of Health Sciences and Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kyoko Yoshioka-Maeda
- Department of Community Health Nursing, Division of Health Sciences and Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Tokyo, Japan
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de Waal N, van den Heuvel MI, Nyklíček I, Pop VJM, Boekhorst MGBM. Paternal bonding in pregnancy and early parenthood: a qualitative study in first-time fathers. J Reprod Infant Psychol 2023:1-16. [PMID: 37650726 DOI: 10.1080/02646838.2023.2252890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
The birth of an infant marks a period of profound change in first-time parents. Parental love and warmth, however, already begin to develop during pregnancy. Also for fathers, the development of bonding to the infant may be a unique process. The current qualitative study aimed to explore views and experiences of first-time fathers on the origins and development of paternal bonding during pregnancy and early childhood. In total, 30 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with expectant fathers (second or third trimester of pregnancy; n = 10) and fathers of infants (0-6 months postpartum; n = 11) and toddlers (2-3 years of age; n = 9). Two major themes were uncovered from the data: feelings of bonding and facilitators of bonding. The first theme was supported with three subthemes: 1) from abstract to concrete, 2) positive emotions, and 3) uncertainties and worries. The second theme, facilitators of bonding, was supported with four subthemes: 1) experiencing the foetus, 2) meeting the child, 3) interaction, and 4) communication. Similar to previous studies, our results suggested that, in most fathers, paternal bonding originates in pregnancy and that it evolves over time. Seeing or feeling the child, both during pregnancy and postpartum, as well as interacting or communicating with the child, appears to facilitate fathers' feelings of bonding. Involving fathers in pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting may be essential for their bonding process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noor de Waal
- Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
| | | | - Ivan Nyklíček
- Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
| | - Victor J M Pop
- Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
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Scandurra C, Mezzalira S, Aviani S, Lastra V, Bochicchio V, Zapparella R, Saccone G, Maldonato NM, Locci M. Perinatal depression during the fourth wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in a single prenatal clinic in Southern Italy: The role of loneliness, anxiety, and maternal support. JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS REPORTS 2023; 13:100585. [PMID: 37152681 PMCID: PMC10141786 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadr.2023.100585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The current study aimed at assessing the levels of perinatal depression (i.e., both antenatal and postnatal) during the fourth wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in a group of Italian women, as well as to evaluate the role of loneliness, anxiety, and lack of maternal support in cumulatively predicting perinatal depression. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 200 Italian women recruited during a peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy (i.e., from September to December 2021) from a single prenatal clinic in Southern Italy. A non-parametric binomial test was conducted to assess whether the perinatal depression frequencies of the current sample differed from those found in a pre-Covid reference group. Additionally, hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses assessing whether loneliness, anxiety, and maternal support affected women's perinatal depression were also conducted. Results The general prevalence of perinatal depression was significantly higher in participants recruited during the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the pre-Covid reference group (29% vs. 9.2%). However, results showed that, contrary to postnatal depression (18.2% vs. 19.9%), only the prevalence of antenatal depression was significantly higher compared to the pre-Covid reference group (39.6% vs. 6.4%). Furthermore, loneliness and anxiety, but not maternal support, were associated with higher levels of PD. Limitations Limitations concerned the cross-sectional nature of the study and the relatively small sample size. Conclusions This study sheds light on the need to address perinatal mental health of women during major stressful events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiano Scandurra
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, Via Sergio Pansini 5, Napoli 80133, Italy
| | - Selene Mezzalira
- Department of Humanistic Studies, University of Calabria, Via Ponte Bucci Cubo 18/C, Rende 87036, Italy
| | - Silvia Aviani
- Intradepartmental Program of Clinical Psychology, Federico II University Hospital, Via Sergio Pansini 5, Napoli 80133, Italy
| | - Valeria Lastra
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, Via Sergio Pansini 5, Napoli 80133, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Bochicchio
- Department of Humanistic Studies, University of Calabria, Via Ponte Bucci Cubo 18/C, Rende 87036, Italy
| | - Rosanna Zapparella
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, Via Sergio Pansini 5, Napoli 80133, Italy
| | - Gabriele Saccone
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, Via Sergio Pansini 5, Napoli 80133, Italy
| | - Nelson Mauro Maldonato
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, Via Sergio Pansini 5, Napoli 80133, Italy
| | - Mariavittoria Locci
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, Via Sergio Pansini 5, Napoli 80133, Italy
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Maternal Mental Health Symptom Profiles and Infant Sleep: A Cross-Sectional Survey. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12071625. [PMID: 35885530 PMCID: PMC9319039 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12071625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The distinct influence of different, but comorbid, maternal mental health (MMH) difficulties (postpartum depression, anxiety, childbirth-related posttraumatic stress disorder) on infant sleep is unknown, although associations between MMH and infant sleep were reported. This cross-sectional survey aimed: (1) to examine associations between MMH symptoms and infant sleep; (2) to extract data-driven maternal MMH symptom profiles from MMH symptoms; and (3) to investigate the distinct influence of these MMH symptom profiles on infant sleep when including mediators and moderators. Mothers of 3–12-month-old infants (n = 410) completed standardized questionnaires on infant sleep, maternal perception of infant negative emotionality, and MMH symptoms. Data was analyzed using: (1) simple linear regressions; (2) factor analysis; and (3) structural equation modelling. MMH symptoms were all negatively associated with nocturnal sleep duration and only postpartum depression and anxiety symptoms were associated with night waking. Three MMH symptom profiles were extracted: depressive, anxious, and birth trauma profiles. Maternal perception of infant negative emotionality mediated the associations between the depressive or anxious profiles and infant sleep but only for particular infant ages or maternal education levels. The birth trauma profile was not associated with infant sleep. The relationships between MMH and infant sleep may involve distinct mechanisms contingent on maternal symptomatology.
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Mudra S, Göbel A, Möhler E, Stuhrmann LY, Schulte-Markwort M, Arck P, Hecher K, Diemert A. Behavioral Inhibition in the Second Year of Life Is Predicted by Prenatal Maternal Anxiety, Overprotective Parenting and Infant Temperament in Early Infancy. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:844291. [PMID: 35722567 PMCID: PMC9203734 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.844291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Behavioral inhibition, characterized by shyness, fear and avoidance of novel stimuli, has been linked with internalizing personality traits in childhood, adolescence and early adulthood, and particularly later social anxiety disorder. Little is known about the relevance of potential prenatal precursors and early predictors for the development of inhibited behavior, such as infant vulnerability and family risk factors like parental anxiety and overprotection. Pregnancy-related anxiety has been associated with both infant temperament and maternal overprotective parenting. Thus, the aim of this study was investigating the predictive relevance of prenatal pregnancy-related anxiety for behavioral inhibition in toddlerhood, by considering the mediating role of maternal overprotection and infant distress to novelty. Materials and Methods As part of a longitudinal pregnancy cohort, behavioral inhibition at 24 months postpartum was assessed in N = 170 mother-child pairs. Maternal pregnancy-related anxiety was examined in the third trimester of pregnancy, and maternal overprotection and infant distress to novelty at 12 months postpartum. Results Mediation analysis with two parallel mediators showed that the significant direct effect of pregnancy-related anxiety on child behavioral inhibition was fully mediated by infant distress to novelty p < 0.001 and maternal overprotection (p < 0.05). The included variables explained 26% of variance in behavioral inhibition. A subsequent explorative mediation analysis with serial mediators further showed a significant positive association between distress to novelty and maternal overprotective parenting (p < 0.05). Conclusion Results indicate a predictive relevance of both infant and maternal factors for the development of behavioral inhibition in toddlerhood. Mothers who perceived more pregnancy-related anxiety showed more overprotective parenting and had infants with more distress to novelty. Further, mothers being more overprotective reported their child to be more inhibited in toddlerhood. Our findings also indicate the stability of reported infant distress to novelty as one aspect of later behavioral inhibition. Addressing specific forms of parental anxiety from pregnancy on and in interaction with child-related variables seems to be a promising approach for future studies and clinical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Mudra
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ariane Göbel
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Eva Möhler
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Saarland University Medical Center, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lydia Yao Stuhrmann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Schulte-Markwort
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Petra Arck
- Division of Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kurt Hecher
- Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anke Diemert
- Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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7
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Kmita G, Kiepura E, Niedźwiecka A. Maternal Mood and Perception of Infant Temperament at Three Months Predict Depressive Symptoms Scores in Mothers of Preterm Infants at Six Months. Front Psychol 2022; 13:812893. [PMID: 35153962 PMCID: PMC8826641 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.812893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Postpartum depression is more prevalent in mothers and fathers of preterm infants compared to parents of full-term infants and may have long-term detrimental consequences for parental mental health and child development. The temperamental profile of an infant has been postulated as one of the important factors associated with parental depressiveness in the first months postpartum. This study aimed to examine the longitudinal relationship between depressive symptoms and perceived infant temperament at 3 months corrected age, and depressive symptoms at 6 months corrected age among mothers and fathers of infants born preterm. We assessed 59 families with infants born before the 34th gestational week using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EDPS) and the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised. We found that mothers’ scores on EPDS and infants’ Orienting/regulation at 3 months corrected age predicted mothers’ EPDS scores at 6 months corrected age. In particular, higher depressive scores were related to higher depressive symptoms at 6 months corrected age, whereas higher infant Orienting/regulation was related to lower depressive symptoms at 6 months corrected age. Due to the low internal consistency of EPDS at 6 months for fathers, we were unable to conduct similar analyses for fathers. Our results point to the importance of considering both early indices of maternal mood as well as mother-reported measures of preterm infant temperament in the attempts to predict levels of maternal depressiveness in later months of an infant’s life. Further studies are urgently needed in order to better understand the associations between depressiveness and infant temperament in fathers, and with more consideration for the severity of the effects of infant prematurity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grazyna Kmita
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.,Institute of Mother and Child, Warsaw, Poland
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Blum S, Mack JT, Weise V, Kopp M, Asselmann E, Martini J, Garthus-Niegel S. The impact of postpartum obsessive-compulsive symptoms on child development and the mediating role of the parent-child relationship: A prospective longitudinal study. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:886347. [PMID: 36203839 PMCID: PMC9532008 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.886347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The first 2 years of life are a particularly sensitive period for the parent-child relationship as well as a healthy, age-appropriate child development. Both have been shown to be linked to postpartum depressive and anxiety symptoms, while the role of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, which are also common, is still largely understudied. In addition, fathers have been neglected in this area of research. This study, which includes both mothers and fathers, aims to investigate the longitudinal associations between postpartum obsessive-compulsive symptoms and different domains of child development, as well as the mediating role of the parent-child relationship. METHODS Data were drawn from the prospective longitudinal study DREAM, with 674 mothers and 442 fathers from the general population completing self-report questionnaires at four measurement points. Longitudinal associations between parental postpartum obsessive-compulsive symptoms 8 weeks postpartum, the parent-child relationship 14 months postpartum, and child development 24 months postpartum were investigated using regression and mediation analyses. A number of potential confounding variables were considered, i.e., age, academic degree, postpartum depressive and anxiety symptoms of the parents, preterm birth and temperament of the child, as well as COVID-19 pandemic-driven adversities. RESULTS When adjusting for confounders, neither maternal nor paternal postpartum obsessive-compulsive symptoms had adverse effects on the respective parent-child relationship and child development. Further, no mediating role of the parent-child relationship between parental postpartum obsessive-compulsive symptoms and child development could be confirmed. Instead, we found that the mother- and father-child relationship were differentially related to specific child developmental domains. For mothers, a poorer mother-child relationship was prospectively related to poorer fine motor development. For fathers, a poorer father-child relationship prospectively predicted a poorer overall development as well as poorer gross motor, fine motor, problem-solving, and personal-social development. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that negative effects on the parent-child relationship and child development may only become apparent in full-blown postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder. Given the differential impact on specific developmental domains, our findings also suggest that it is crucial to consider both parents in clinical practice as well as in future research, rather than focusing only on the mother-child dyad.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Blum
- Institute and Outpatient Clinics of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Judith T Mack
- Institute and Outpatient Clinics of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Victoria Weise
- Institute and Outpatient Clinics of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Marie Kopp
- Institute and Outpatient Clinics of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Eva Asselmann
- Department of Psychology, HMU Health and Medical University, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Julia Martini
- Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Susan Garthus-Niegel
- Institute and Outpatient Clinics of Occupational and Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Institute for Systems Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Child Health and Development, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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9
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Chatoor I, Sechi C, Vismara L, Lucarelli L. A cross-sectional study of father-daughter/son interactions from 1 Month to 3 years of age with the feeding and play scales: Exploring the psychometric properties. Appetite 2021; 168:105671. [PMID: 34481013 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2021.105671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The quality of father-infant/toddler interactions has become a focal point in studies of early child development. However, studies targeting early father-infant/toddler interactions may be hampered due to the lack of specific and validated measures; indeed, most of the applied observational instruments were originally designed to evaluate mother-child interactions. In a sample of 142 fathers-infant/toddler dyads, the current study aimed to test the reliability of the Feeding and Play Scales, which were initially created to assess mother-infant/toddler interactions. Also, we compared the father-infant/toddler feeding and play interactions at different developmental stages, from 1 month to 3 years of the child's age, and we evaluated the effect of the child's gender on the father-infant/toddler feeding and play interactions. Both scales showed satisfactory internal consistency, confirming that the measures are reliable in the evaluation of father-infant/toddler feeding and play interactions. Analyses showed significant correlations between the subscales of the Feeding and Play Scales, significant effects of the child's age and significant gender differences. Our research shows that the Feeding and Play Scales are promising instruments to study the role of fathers in the development of normal and disordered feeding in infants and toddlers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Chatoor
- The George Washington University and Children's National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Avenue, Washington 20010-2916 D.C, USA.
| | - Cristina Sechi
- Department of Education, Psychology, Philosophy University of Cagliari, Via Is Mirrionis, 1, Cagliari, 09123, Italy.
| | - Laura Vismara
- Department of Education, Psychology, Philosophy University of Cagliari, Via Is Mirrionis, 1, Cagliari, 09123, Italy.
| | - Loredana Lucarelli
- Department of Education, Psychology, Philosophy University of Cagliari, Via Is Mirrionis, 1, Cagliari, 09123, Italy.
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