Associations between parental stress, parent-infant bonding, and infant neuromotor functioning
L C Span1, E M Rodenboog1, N H van Dokkum1
1Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Early Human Development
|January 4, 2026
Summary
Parental stress and parent-infant bonding did not impact infant neurodevelopment at three months. This suggests interventions for parental stress or bonding issues may have a broader window for effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- The early developing brain is sensitive to environmental factors.
- Parental stress and parent-infant bonding are linked to later neurodevelopmental delays.
- The precise age at which these factors influence development is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between parental stress, parent-infant bonding, and infant neurodevelopment at three months of age.
- To identify potential early intervention targets for neurodevelopmental delays.
Main Methods:
- Study included 339 parent-infant dyads from the Dutch TRAILS-NEXT cohort.
- Parental stress (NOSI-K) and bonding (PBQ) assessed at 3 months.
- Infant neurodevelopment assessed via General Movement Assessment (GMA) and Motor Optimality score - Revised (MOS-R).
Main Results:
- No significant correlations found between parental stress, bonding, and infant motor optimality scores.
- Regression analyses, adjusted for confounders, showed no significant relationships between parental bonding/stress and general movement characteristics.
- Elevated parental stress was observed in 7% of mothers and 18% of partners.
Conclusions:
- Parental stress and parent-infant bonding were not associated with infant neurodevelopment at three months.
- Findings suggest a wider window for interventions targeting parental stress or bonding issues.
- Other factors likely influence individual differences in early motor development.
Keywords:
General movement assessmentGeneral movementsMotor Optimality score – RevisedNeurodevelopmentParent-infant bondingParental stressPerinatal risk factorsMore Related Videos
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