Leiden University Student Repository

Reijman, Sophie (2012)

Physiological reactivity to infant crying in maltreating and non-maltreating mothers

Research master thesis | Developmental Psychopathology in Education and Child Studies (research) (MSc)

The relationship between child maltreatment and physiological reactivity to infant crying was evaluated using measures of heart rate (HR) in a sample of 30 maltreating and 24 non-maltreating mothers. For the maltreating group, child maltreatment had been substantiated. During a standardized cry paradigm, mothers listened to nine cry sounds of three different pitches. Each fundamental frequency was presented three times, over three blocks. Mothers rated the urgency of each sound and indicated what their caregiving responses would be. Maltreating mothers showed a lower HR reactivity than non-maltreating mothers to the first and second block of cry sounds as compared to baseline. A lack of functional physiological reactivity when required may explain their impaired ability to respond adequately to their children.

child

abuse

neglect

crying

physiological

reactivity

maltreatment

mothers

Author

Reijman, Sophie

Faculty

Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences

Specialisation

Child abuse and neglect

Supervisors

Alink, Lenneke

ECTS Credits

45

Language

en