The Effects of Early Mother-Infant Separation Upon Sharing Behaviors of One-Year-Olds.

N

12

Attachment Behavior; Hospitalized Children; Infant Behavior; Infants; Mothers; Parent Attitudes; Parent Child Relationship; Prosocial Behavior

Sharing behaviors of infants who had experienced early separation through hospitalization from their mothers were compared to behaviors of infants who had experienced no such separation. Responses of the mothers to their infants' prosocial behavior were also analyzed. Subjects were twenty 1-year-old infants and their mothers. On the basis of the infants' neonatal history each pair was assigned to one of two groups: Intensive Care Nursery (ICN) group and non-ICN group. After completing the Bayley Mental Scale, mother-infant pairs were seated in an observation room in which four toys were arranged on the floor. A videotape of each pair was scored for the frequency of seven infant behaviors: pointing to toys in the room; showing toys to mother; bringing toys to mother; giving toys to mother; playing with toys in mother's lap or hands; vocalizing to mother while playing with a toy; and smiling at mother while playing with a toy. Three maternal behaviors were scored: vocal responses to infant behaviors; physical responses to infant behaviors; and posture. Examination of the data indicated that ICN infants displayed sharing behaviors less frequently than non-ICN infants. ICN infants exhibited fewer proximal behaviors (such as giving) than non-ICN infants. However, the more distal behaviors (such as pointing, vocalizing) were equally frequent in the two groups. Mothers of ICN infants were not as responsive to their children's behaviors as were non-ICN mothers. (Author/JA)

1981

ED204017