The importance of responsive parenting for vulnerable infants

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Updated: Oct 28, 2025

A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect
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A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect

Published on: September 22, 2023

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Marta Korom1, Mary Dozier1

  • 1Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United States.

Advances in Child Development and Behavior
|July 16, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Sensitive parenting is crucial for infant development. Interventions like Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC) improve parenting, promoting better child outcomes and long-term development.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Child Psychiatry
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Early caregiving quality significantly impacts child development.
  • Infants rely on caregivers for brain and behavioral system development.
  • Early adversity can lead to regulatory difficulties in infants.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the importance of parental sensitivity in child development.
  • To examine the consequences of sensitive and insensitive caregiving.
  • To review parenting interventions, focusing on Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC).

Main Methods:

  • Review of literature on parental sensitivity and child development.
  • Description of parenting interventions targeting responsiveness.
  • Focus on the Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC) home visiting program.

Main Results:

  • Parental sensitivity is critical for positive child developmental trajectories.
  • Insensitive caregiving is linked to developmental risks.
  • Interventions like ABC show promise in enhancing parental responsiveness.

Conclusions:

  • Enhancing parental sensitivity through interventions like ABC can improve child outcomes.
  • Early intervention is key to mitigating risks associated with early adversity.
  • Public policy should support programs promoting responsive parenting.

Keywords:
AttachmentBrain developmentInfancyParentingPreventive interventions

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