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. 2018 Nov;21(6):e12689.
doi: 10.1111/desc.12689. Epub 2018 Jun 19.

Mothers' and fathers' mind-mindedness influences physiological emotion regulation of infants across the first year of life

Moniek A J Zeegers  1 , Wieke de Vente  1 , Milica Nikolić  1 , Mirjana Majdandžić  1 , Susan M Bögels  1 , Cristina Colonnesi  1
Affiliations

Mothers' and fathers' mind-mindedness influences physiological emotion regulation of infants across the first year of life

Moniek A J Zeegers et al. Dev Sci. 2018 Nov.

Abstract

The main aim of this study was to test whether mothers' (n = 116) and fathers' (n = 116) mind-mindedness predicts infants' physiological emotion regulation (heart rate variability; HRV) across the first year of life. Three hypotheses were examined: (a) parents' mind-mindedness at 4 and 12 months predicts infants' HRV at 12 months over and above infants' initial HRV levels at 4 months, (b) mothers' and fathers' mind-mindedness independently predict infant HRV, and (c) the effects of mind-mindedness on infant HRV (partially) operate via parenting behaviour. Infants' HRV was assessed during rest and a stranger approach. Mind-mindedness was assessed by calculating the proportions of appropriate and non-attuned mind-related comments during free-play interactions, and parenting quality was observed at 4 and 12 months in the same interactions. Path analyses showed that mothers' appropriate mind-related comments at 4 and 12 months predicted higher baseline HRV at 12 months, whereas mothers' non-attuned comments predicted lower baseline HRV at 12 months. Similar, but concurrent, relations were found for fathers' appropriate and non-attuned mind-related comments and infant baseline HRV at 12 months. In addition, fathers' appropriate mind-related comments showed an indirect association with infant baseline HRV at 12 months via fathers' parenting quality. With regard to infant HRV reactivity during the stranger approach, mothers' appropriate mind-related comments at 4 months and fathers' non-attuned mind-related comments at 12 months predicted a larger HRV decline during the stranger approach at 12 months. Infants' HRV at 4 months did not predict parents' later mind-mindedness. The results indicate that mothers' and fathers' appropriate and non-attuned mind-related speech uniquely impacts the development of infants' physiological emotion regulation.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Standardized path coefficients for the relations between mothers’ mind‐mindedness and infant HRV at 4 and 12 months( Note: MRC = mind‐related comments; *p < .05; **p < .01; ***p < .001; direct effects of infants’ baseline HRV and HRV decline at 4 months are presented below the variables at 12 months. For instance, the effects of baseline HRV and HRV decline on appropriate MRC were .08 and .02, respectively
Figure 2
Figure 2
Standardized path coefficients for the relations between fathers’ mind‐mindedness and infant HRV at 4 and 12 months )Note: MRC = mind‐related comments; *p < .05; **p < .01; ***p < .001; direct effects of infants’ baseline HRV and HRV decline at 4 months are presented below the variables at 12 months. For instance, the effects of baseline HRV and HRV decline on appropriate MRC were .08 and .02, respectively
Figure 3
Figure 3
The direct effects of mothers’ and fathers’ mind‐mindedness at 4 months on infant HRV at 12 months Note: MRC = mind‐related comments; *p < .05; **p < .01; ***p < .001
Figure 4
Figure 4
The direct effects of mothers’ and fathers’ mind‐mindedness at 12 months on infant HRV at 12 months Note: MRC = mind‐related comments; *p < .05; **p < .01; ***p < .001
Figure 5
Figure 5
Direct and indirect (via parenting quality) effects of maternal and paternal mind‐mindedness at 4 months on infant HRV at 12 months Note: MRC = mind‐related comments; *p < .05; **p < .01; ***p < .001; the direct effects of mind‐mindedness on baseline HRV and HRV decline are displayed below the variables (e.g., .39***; .19 refer to the effects of maternal appropriate mind‐related comments on baseline HRV and HRV decline, respectively)
Figure 6
Figure 6
Direct and indirect (via parenting quality) effects of maternal and paternal mind‐mindedness at 12 months on infant HRV at 12 months Note: MRC = mind‐related comments; *p < .05; **p < .01; ***p < .001; the direct effects of mind‐mindedness on baseline HRV and HRV decline are displayed below the variables (e.g., .21*; −.01 refer to the effects of maternal appropriate mind‐related comments on baseline HRV and HRV decline, respectively)
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