MOTHERS BEHAVIORS, INFANT BEHAVIORS, HEART RATE, AND ROCKING WITHIN THE EARLY MOTHER-INFANT RELATIONSHIP.
Contributors: Case Western Reserve University.
Published: 1991
Number of pages: 158
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Human Development.
Description: The purpose of this study was to describe and determine the relationships between the elements of mother behaviors, infant behaviors, heart rate, and rocking within the early mother-infant relationship. Using a descriptive research design 30 mother-infant dyads, within 72 hours after delivery, were videotaped for 15 minutes of uninterrupted time together. The mother sat in a rocking chair and held her infant. Rocking was initiated and controlled by the mother. No specific directions for interaction were given.

Heart rates of mothers and infants were monitored using electronic monitoring. Mother and infant behaviors were coded from the videotape using an adapted Face-to-Face Interaction Guide (Kay & Fogel, 1980). Rocking cycles were coded from an electronic monitor and the videotape. Behaviors were recorded as discrete events, whether the behavior was present or absent in each 10 second time epoch. The total number of epochs in which the behavior occurred for each 5 minutes was used for initial analysis. The data was then categorized according to the number of epochs the behavior was present within the total 5 minutes. The Pearson product-moment statistical test was used to determine relationships among the elements using the data for each 10 seconds and after it was categorized. There were significant relationships among the mother and infant behaviors, heart rates, and rocking. Significant relationships were also found between the mother's heart rate and infant crying, the infant's heart rate and posture change, bouncing and rocking, and the infant state and rocking.

The elements were described using descriptive statistics. Behaviors identified in previous research as attachment behaviors were present within the early mother-infant relationship. The intensity and frequency of these behaviors, however, diminished over the 15 minutes. The heart rate of both mother and infant remained relatively consistent. Mothers rocked their infants at a rate of 37 cycles per minute.

Results of this study suggest that attachment assessment be performed when the mother and infant reunite because of the diminishing nature of attachment behaviors. Since rocking was performed by all of the mothers in this study, it is implied that rocking is a natural activity between healthy mothers and infants. The association among the elements in this study support the proposition that there is some link between mother-infant attachment behaviors, heart rates, and rocking within 72 hours after birth.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-10, Section: B, page: 5192.

Thesis (PH.D.)--CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY (HEALTH SCIENCES), 1991.

School code: 0499.