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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
09:36

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Intra-individual variability in infancy: structure, stability, and nutritional correlates.

Theodore D Wachs1, Hilary Creed Kanashiro, Pinar Gurkas

  • 1Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. wachs@psych.purdue.edu

Developmental Psychobiology
|March 13, 2008
PubMed
Summary

This study explored intra-individual variability (IIV) in infants, finding links between early nutrition and behavioral fluctuations. Maternal factors like weight and hemoglobin influenced infant IIV, highlighting the importance of prenatal and early postnatal nutrition.

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Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Behavioral Biology
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Intra-individual variability (IIV) describes consistent individual differences in behavioral fluctuations.
  • Understanding IIV's structure, stability, and biological underpinnings is crucial for developmental research.
  • Temperament serves as a framework for assessing IIV in infants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the structure, stability, and biological roots of intra-individual variability (IIV) in infants.
  • To investigate the influence of maternal and infant nutrition on IIV during the first year of life.
  • To examine the relationship between IIV and factors like maternal weight, iron status, and fetal growth.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study of 249 Peruvian neonates from pregnancy to 12 months.
  • Assessed maternal nutrition, anthropometry, and iron status prenatally.
  • Measured infant behavior using the Louisville Temperament Assessment Procedure to derive IIV scores.
  • Utilized principal components analysis to identify IIV components and stability.

Main Results:

  • Individual differences in IIV were consistently defined by two components at 3, 6, and 12 months.
  • Modest stability was observed in IIV components between 3 and 12 months.
  • Reduced IIV at 3 months correlated with higher maternal weight and fetal growth; higher IIV correlated with maternal hemoglobin and neonatal ferritin.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal nutrition and infant iron status are significant biological roots of intra-individual variability (IIV).
  • Prenatal factors like maternal weight and fetal growth influence early infant behavioral fluctuations.
  • Maternal hemoglobin and neonatal ferritin levels predict different patterns of infant IIV, underscoring the role of iron metabolism.