A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Unpredictable maternal behavior and infant emotional reactivity in the context of high maternal adversity
Authors: Garzón, María José; Korja, Riikka; Ainamani, Herbert; Ndyareeba, Eunice; Töpfer, Philipp; Holmberg, Eeva; Köster, Moritz
Editors: Luk Gigi, Cooper Shauna
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Publication year: 2026
Journal: Child Development
Volume: 97
Issue: 1
First page : 126
Last page: 136
ISSN: 0009-3920
eISSN: 1467-8624
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/chidev/aacaf010
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: No Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : Partially Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1093/chidev/aacaf010
This study examined how mothers' experiences of childhood maltreatment influence their infants' emotional responses, and whether unpredictable maternal behaviors, reflected in how mothers shifted between touch, voice, and visual cues during interactions, help explain this link. To better understand these processes in a context characterized by high rates of childhood maltreatment, the research was conducted with mothers and infants in southwestern Uganda. Both maternal maltreatment history and more unpredictable caregiving patterns were linked to infants showing lower negative emotional responses. However, unpredictability did not explain the link between mothers' early experiences and infants' responses. These findings suggest that infants may flexibly adjust their emotional reactions to their mothers' behavior, possibly as an adaptation to challenging environments.
Funding information in the publication:
This research did not receive any third-party funding.
