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Infant carrying: Associations with parental reflective functioning, parental bonding and parental responses to infant
Christine Firk1,2, Nicola Großheinrich2,3
1Department of Social Sciences, Catholic University of Applied Sciences of North Rhine-Eestphalia, Aachen, Germany.
Infant Mental Health Journal
|January 30, 2024
Summary
Daily infant carrying is linked to improved parental reflective functioning, bonding, and more positive responses to infant crying. This practice supports a stronger parent-infant relationship and infant development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Parent-Infant Relationships
- Attachment Theory
Background:
- Infant carrying is hypothesized to positively influence parent-infant relationships.
- Limited empirical research exists on the specific benefits of infant carrying for parental functioning and responses to infant distress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between infant carrying frequency and parental reflective functioning.
- To examine the relationship between infant carrying and parental bonding.
- To assess how infant carrying impacts parental emotional and behavioral responses to infant crying.
Main Methods:
- Online survey conducted in Germany.
- Inclusion of parents with high (daily/6x week) and low (rarely/never) infant carrying levels.
- Utilized standardized questionnaires for parental reflective functioning, bonding impairments, and responses to infant crying (emotional and behavioral).
Main Results:
- Parents with high infant carrying levels demonstrated enhanced parental reflective functioning.
- High infant carrying was associated with fewer parental bonding problems.
- Parents who frequently carried their infants reported less negative emotional and insensitive behavioral responses to infant crying.
Conclusions:
- Frequent infant carrying is positively associated with key aspects of the parent-infant relationship.
- Infant carrying may promote sensitive parenting and support infant development through improved parental functioning.
- Findings suggest infant carrying as a valuable practice for enhancing parent-infant bonding and parental responsiveness.
Keywords:
MentalisierenPorter le bébéSchreien von SäuglingenTragen von Säuglingencargar al infanteelterliche Reflexionsfähigkeitelterliches Bondingfonction réflexive parentalefuncionamiento con reflexión del progenitorinfant carryinginfant cryinglazos de afectividad del progenitorlien parentalllanto del infantementalisermentalizaciónmentalizingparental bondingparental reflective functioningparent‐infant relationshippleurs du bébéالكلمات المفتاحية: حمل الرضيع، الأداء التأملي الوالدي، التصور الذهني، الترابط الوالدي، بكاء الرضيع乳児の抱っこ、親の省察機能、メンタライジング、親のボンディング、乳児の泣き声关键词: 携带婴儿, 父母反思功能, 心智化, 父母关系, 婴儿哭泣More Related Videos
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