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Breastfeeding and kangaroo care: biobehavioral measures of dyadic bonding, infant cortical maturation, and infant HPA reactivity
Title
Breastfeeding and kangaroo care: biobehavioral measures of dyadic bonding, infant cortical maturation, and infant HPA reactivity.
Creator
Hardin, Jillian, Jones, Nancy Aaron, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
Abstract/Description
The current study examined the effects of kangaroo care on breastfeeding practices, infant stress reactivity, and biobehavioral measures of mother-infant bonding across the first 3 months postpartum. Additionally, the role of breastfeeding in infant cortical maturation in the frontal lobe was examined. Thirty two mother-infant dyads participated in the current study; 16 mother-infant dyads were randomly assigned to the kangaroo care group and 17 mother-infant dyads were assigned to the...
Show moreThe current study examined the effects of kangaroo care on breastfeeding practices, infant stress reactivity, and biobehavioral measures of mother-infant bonding across the first 3 months postpartum. Additionally, the role of breastfeeding in infant cortical maturation in the frontal lobe was examined. Thirty two mother-infant dyads participated in the current study; 16 mother-infant dyads were randomly assigned to the kangaroo care group and 17 mother-infant dyads were assigned to the control group. Mothers in the kangaroo care group received training on proper kangaroo care procedures by a trained administrator during the first 1-2 weeks postpartum. Mothers in the kangaroo care group were asked to use the kangaroo care procedure for 1 hour per day for 6 weeks. Maternal perceptions of fetal attachment, mood, feeding intentions, and urinary oxytocin measurements were assessed prenatally. At a newborn visit, infant neurobehavioral functioning and urinary oxytocin measurements were assessed. Maternal mood and feeding practices were also assessed at the newborn visit. At 3 months postpartum, mother-infant dyads were assessed on urinary oxytocin measurements. Mother-infant dyads were recorded during a play session and feeding session. Infant baseline EEG recordings were taken over a 5 minute period. Infant cortisol measurements were collected from infant saliva before and after a mild behavioral stressor, an infant arm restraint procedure. Maternal perceptions of postpartum bonding, mood, infant temperament, and feeding practices were also assessed. Results indicate that kangaroo care produced medium to large effects on cortisol reactivity, dyadic bonding, and breastfeeding practices if kangaroo care was practiced for the recommended amount of time. Kangaroo care produced medium to large effects on oxytocin levels in motherinfant dyads regardless of use. Cortical measures of infant frontal activity indicated that all infants in the samples displayed functional maturity of the frontal lobe. Kangaroo care can be used a viable, low-cost tactile procedure that can be implemented after birth to aid in breastfeeding practices, mother-infant bonding, and lower infant stress reactivity. Infants in the study who received at least one breastfeeding session displayed advanced patterns of frontal activation. Further study is needed to determine if peripheral oxytocin measurements are 1) reliable and 2) are indicative of dyadic bonding behaviors.
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Date Issued
2014
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004119, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004119
Subject Headings
Animal behavior, Attachment behavior in children, Breastfeeding -- Psychological aspects, Developmental psychobiology, Mother and infant -- Psychological aspects, Nature and nurture
Format
Document (PDF)
Behavioral Expressions of Jealousy Across the First Two Years of Life: Associations with EEG Asymmetry, Cortisol Reactivity and Attachment Security
Title
Behavioral Expressions of Jealousy Across the First Two Years of Life: Associations with EEG Asymmetry, Cortisol Reactivity and Attachment Security.
Creator
Platt, Melannie, Jones, Nancy Aaron, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
Abstract/Description
Jealousy is understood as a system of physiological, behavioral, and emotional responses, yet few studies have examined these aspects of jealousy simultaneously in infants. Further, jealousy paradigms have not been examined as a potential stressor in infancy and thus typical cortisol reactivity and regulation patterns in response to jealousy paradigms have not been observed. In addition, the contribution of attachment security to infant expressions of jealousy has been vastly understudied....
Show moreJealousy is understood as a system of physiological, behavioral, and emotional responses, yet few studies have examined these aspects of jealousy simultaneously in infants. Further, jealousy paradigms have not been examined as a potential stressor in infancy and thus typical cortisol reactivity and regulation patterns in response to jealousy paradigms have not been observed. In addition, the contribution of attachment security to infant expressions of jealousy has been vastly understudied. The present study seeks to fill the current gaps in the infant jealousy literature by investigating quantitative and qualitative changes in infant jealousy across the first two years of life. Data was collected longitudinally and mother- infant dyads were asked to participate when infants were 12- months and 24-months of age. Associations between behavioral jealousy responses, baseline EEG activity, stress reactivity and attachment security were examined. Differences in approach behaviors and behavioral arousal were found across conditions and were consistent with previous studies (Hart & Carrington, 2002; Mize & Jones, 2012). Findings relating to EEG activity pointed to a relationship between left EEG asymmetry and global approach behaviors across time. Cortisol reactivity was found to be associated with attachment security but reactive cortisol concentrations compared to baseline cortisol concentrations do not indicate that the paradigm was an effective stressor. Attachment security was found to be associated with proximity behaviors in 12- month olds but not 24-month olds. Finally, a linear regression revealed that attachment security, EEG asymmetry, and cortisol reactivity at 12-months are significant predictors of behavioral jealousy responses at 24-months. Changes in behavioral and physiological measures across time indicate that jealousy continues to develop during the second year of life but may have different underlying processes than the processes that contribute to jealousy expression in 12-month-olds.
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Date Issued
2017
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004889, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004889
Subject Headings
Mood (Psychology)--Physiological aspects., Emotions--Physiological aspects., Emotions in infants., Attachment behavior in infants., Attachment behavior in children., Jealousy in children., Child psychology., Child rearing., Sibling rivalry.
Format
Document (PDF)