Behavioral Parent Training in Infancy: What About the Parent-Infant Relationship?

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Family Studies

Background:

• Behavioral parent training (BPT) and attachment interventions are effective for young children.
• Literature on BPT and attachment interventions has evolved separately, especially in outcome measurement.
• Parent-child interaction is crucial during the infant to toddler transition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the impact of the Infant Behavior Program (IBP), a brief home-based BPT adaptation, on attachment-based caregiving behaviors.
• To assess changes in maternal sensitivity, warmth, and intrusiveness.
• To explore the mediating role of parenting skills in the intervention's effect on caregiving behaviors.

Main Methods:

• Sixty mother-infant dyads were randomly assigned to the IBP or standard care.
• Attachment-based caregiving behaviors were assessed during videotaped infant-led play.
• Bivariate correlations and structural equation modeling were used to analyze data.

Main Results:

• The IBP directly improved maternal warmth and sensitivity postintervention and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups.
• Improvements in parenting skills at postintervention mediated the intervention's effect on warmth and sensitivity at later follow-ups.
• Behaviorally based parenting skills were moderately correlated with attachment-based caregiving behaviors.

Conclusions:

• Behavioral parent training programs, like the IBP, can enhance crucial attachment-based caregiving behaviors.
• Targeted parenting skills in BPT have a lasting impact on sensitive and warm caregiving.
• Findings support the integration of behaviorally based skills into interventions promoting secure attachment.