Maltreated infants: vulnerability and resilience

This study of maltreated infants offers evidence supporting a model of bidirectional effects in which the mother initiates the maltreatment but both mother and infant behave so as to maintain the situation. Maltreated infants were found not to differ from control infants in congenital characteristics. They did, however, display deviance in learned behavior patterns. After intervention with the mother the infants showed behavioral improvement. These results suggested that maltreated infants were not inherently different from other children and that they were resilient in response to environmental improvement. Their earlier behavior may, however, have functioned to maintain their mothers' maltreating responses.