Maternal positive responses to a distressed infant simulator predict subsequent negative affect in infants

Existing evidence indicates that maternal responses to infant distress, specifically more sensitive and less inconsistent/rejecting responses, are associated with lower infant negative affect (NA). However, due to ethical and methodological constraints, most existing studies do not employ methods that guarantee each mother will be observed responding to infant distress. To address such limitations, in the current study, a distressed infant simulator (SIM), programmed to be inconsolable, was employed to ensure that mothers (N = 150; 4 months postpartum) were observed responding to infant distress. Subsequently, maternal report of infant NA and an early aspect of regulatory capacity, sootheability, were collected at eight-months postpartum, and observational assessments of infant fear and frustration, fine-grained aspects of NA, were collected at 12-months of age. After controlling for infant sex, the proportion of time mothers spent using soothing touch during the SIM task was related to less overall maternal reported NA and sadness at eight-months postpartum. Similarly, greater use of touch was associated with less fear reactivity, and greater maternal use of vocalizations was related to lower infant frustration, at 12-months postpartum. Specific maternal soothing behaviors were not related to infant soothability at 8 months postpartum. Total time spent interacting with the SIM was not related to infant temperament, suggesting that type of soothing, not quantity of interactions with distressed infants, is important for reducing infant NA. The implications of these findings and important future directions are discussed.