THE RELATIONSHIP OF MATERNAL RHYTHMIC BEHAVIOR AND INFANT INTERACTIONAL ATTENTION (CHILD DEVELOPMENT, VISUAL, MOTHER CHILD).
Contributors: Wayne State University.
Published: 1985
Number of pages: 139
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: This study was conceptualized utilizing Rogers' (1970, 1980, 1983) and Fitzpatrick's (1983) conceptual models for nursing, and behavioral rhythm theories. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between maternal rhythmic behavior (as measured by the amount, intensity, and tempo) as expressed through facial, vocal, and tactile rhythmic behaviors, and the five month old infant's interactional attention during a 3 minute face-to-face interaction.

A convenience sample of 74 mother infant dyads were videotaped in a spontaneous interaction. The videotapes were coded for the maternal facial, vocal, and tactile behaviors and the infant gaze behavior. Amount of maternal rhythmic behavior was measured by rhythmic bouts, maternal rhythmic intensity by rhythmic streams, and maternal rhythmic tempo by pauses.

Pearson product-moment correlations were used to test the hypotheses. A descriptive correlational design was used.

The findings supported the first hypothesis that amount of maternal rhythmic behavior for all modalities and infant interactional attention were positively related. The second hypothesized positive relationship between maternal rhythmic intensity and infant interactional attention was supported for only the tactile and vocal modalities. Maternal rhythmic tempo and infant interactional attention were significantly related for the vocal and tactile modalities but not for the facial modality. SES was not significantly related to the maternal and infant variables.

Future nursing practice, theory, and research will benefit from the information in this research regarding the amount, intensity, and tempo of maternal rhythmic behavior and infant attention and the measurement of the concepts.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-01, Section: B, page: 0136.

Thesis (PH.D.)--WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY, 1985.

School code: 0254.