Infant distress at five weeks of age and caregiver frustration
Takeo Fujiwara1, Ronald G Barr, Rollin Brant
1Developmental Neurosciences and Child Health, Child and Family Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Objective:
To investigate the differential association of three modes (fussing, crying, unsoothable crying) and three properties (duration/day, frequency/day, maximum bout length) of infant distress with daily caregiver frustration.
Study Design:
Replicated cross-sectional studies were completed in Vancouver, British Columbia (n = 1065) and Seattle, Washington (n = 1857). Infant fussing, crying, and unsoothable crying and caregiver frustration were measured daily for 4 days at 5 weeks of age by the Baby's Day Diary. Generalized estimating equation models were used to predict caregiver frustration from nine measurements of distress.
Results:
In Vancouver, measurements of distress significantly associated with caregiver frustration in decreasing order of magnitude were as follow: (1) maximum bout length of unsoothable crying; (2) duration/day of crying; and (3) frequency of unsoothable crying and duration/day of fussing. In Seattle, associated measurements of distress were: (1) maximum bout length of unsoothable crying; (2) maximum bout length and duration/day of crying, frequency of unsoothable crying, and duration/day of fussing; and (3) frequency/day of crying.
Conclusions:
Daily caregiver frustration is associated differentially with different modes and properties of infant distress. Specifically, maximum bout length of unsoothable crying was most strongly related in both sites. Additionally, frequency/day of unsoothable crying and duration/day of crying and of fussing were significantly associated at both sites.
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