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Cited by 270Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic ControlChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentInfant Health and Development

Mother-infant vagal regulation in the face-to-face still-face paradigm is moderated by maternal sensitivity

Open access
Moore, Ginger A, Hill-Soderlund, Ashley L, Propper, Cathi B, Calkins, Susan D, Mills-Koonce, W Roger, Cox, Martha J·2009·Child Development
DOI 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2008.01255.x
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Abstract

Parents’ physiological regulation may support infants’ regulation. Mothers (N= 152) and 6-month-old male and female infants were observed in normal and disrupted social interaction. Affect was coded at 1-s intervals and vagal tone measured as respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). Maternal sensitivity was assessed in free play. Mothers and infants showed opposite patterns of RSA change. During disrupted interaction, mothers’ RSA increased and infants’ decreased, suggesting self-regulation of distress. During reunion, although the typical pattern was for infants to return to baseline levels, infants of sensitive mothers and sensitive mothers both showed a significant decrease in RSA from baseline. Mothers’ and infants’ physiological responses may be a function of mutual responsiveness.

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

In 152 six-month-old infants and their mothers, RSA changed in opposite directions across the Face-to-Face Still-Face Paradigm, but maternal sensitivity moderated reunion RSA: infants and mothers of highly sensitive mothers showed RSA decreases from baseline during reunion. The findings suggest maternal sensitivity shapes dyadic vagal regulation during interactive repair.

Key findings

  • Infants showed RSA withdrawal from baseline to the still-face episode, whereas mothers showed an RSA increase during still face. During reunion, the typical pattern was infants returning to baseline, but infants of mothers 1 SD above the mean on sensitivity showed a significant RSA decrease from baseline, t(260) = -2.70, p < .01; mothers 1 SD above the mean on sensitivity also showed a significant RSA decrease from baseline to reunion, t(260) = -2.50, p < .05.
  • Maternal sensitivity had no main effect on RSA but interacted with FFSFP episode for both infant and mother RSA. Maternal sensitivity ranged from -1 to 19 (M = 10.52, SD = 4.04).
  • Higher dyadic behavioral synchrony in normal play and reunion was correlated with lower mothers’ RSA in reunion, r(108) = -.20, p < .05, and r(104) = -.20, p < .05; there were no significant relations between dyadic behavioral synchrony and infants’ RSA.
  • African American infants had higher RSA across the FFSFP than European American infants.

Methods

  • Participants were 152 mother-infant dyads at 6 months (51% male infants; 57% African American, 43% European American; 52% below 200% of poverty) drawn from a larger sample of 206 families in the Durham Child Health and Development Study. Mothers and infants completed a 10-min home free-play task for maternal sensitivity and a laboratory FFSFP with baseline, normal play, still-face, and reunion episodes.
  • RSA was derived from interbeat interval data in 15-s epochs; affect and gaze were coded at 1-s intervals. Maternal sensitivity was a composite of five NICHD free-play subscales, with inter-rater ICCs from .82 to .98 and an average ICC of .89.
  • Main analyses used general linear mixed models with repeated measures (PROC MIXED, SAS Version 9.1), conducted separately for infant and mother RSA, with episode as a within-subjects factor, centered maternal sensitivity, Episode × Maternal Sensitivity interaction, and demographic controls.

Limitations

  • The paper states that considerable missing cardiac data (approximately 20% per episode) may have reduced power to detect interactions involving HP, negative affect, and positive affect, and precluded more extensive within-dyad analyses. It also states that only parasympathetic reactivity was examined, that HP is correlated with RSA and not independent of parasympathetic influences, and that no causal direction is implied.
  • The paper notes that maternal physiological data were collected only at 6 months, and the text makes evident that findings are based on separate mother and infant models, so mother-infant physiological synchrony could not be fully tested.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2008.01255.x

Cites

56 of 56 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Claims the paper makes

0 of 63 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged

  • Findingown data

    During disrupted interaction, infants' RSA decreased.

    “During disrupted interaction, mothers' RSA increased and infants' decreased, suggesting self-regulation of distress.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    During reunion, infants of sensitive mothers showed a significant decrease in RSA from baseline.

    “During reunion, although the typical pattern was for infants to return to baseline levels, infants of sensitive mothers and sensitive mothers both showed a significant decrease in RSA from baseline.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    Mothers and infants showed opposite patterns of RSA change across the face-to-face still-face paradigm.

    “Mothers and infants showed opposite patterns of RSA change.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    During disrupted interaction, mothers' RSA increased.

    “During disrupted interaction, mothers' RSA increased and infants' decreased, suggesting self-regulation of distress.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    During reunion, sensitive mothers showed a significant decrease in RSA from baseline.

    “During reunion, although the typical pattern was for infants to return to baseline levels, infants of sensitive mothers and sensitive mothers both showed a significant decrease in RSA from baseline.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 44
  • May combine two claims. 28
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 1

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingown data

    Mothers' and infants' positive affect during the normal play episode were positively correlated, r(141) = .21, p < .05.

    “Consistent with other research, mothers' and infants' positive affect during the normal play episode were positively correlated, r(141) = .21,p < .05.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingown data

    Negative affect was stable across all episodes of the FFSFP (rs ranged from .19 to .68, all ps < .05).

    “Negative affect was stable across all episodes of the FFSFP (rs ranged from .19 to .68,all ps < .05).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingown data

    Positive affect was stable across all episodes of the FFSFP (rs ranged from .33 to .57, all ps < .001).

    “Positive affect was stable across all episodes of the FFSFP (rs ranged from .33 to .57,all ps < .001).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingown data

    Mothers' and infants' baseline HP were correlated, r(66) = .32, p < .01.

    “Mothers' and infants' baseline HP were correlated, r(66) = .32,p < .01.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    In the normal play episode, RSA was correlated with positive affect, r(94) = .26, p < .05, and negative affect, r(94) = -.21, p < .05.

    “In the normal play episode, RSA was correlated with positive, r(94) = .26,p < .05,and negative, r(94) = -.21,p < .05,affect.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    HP in the reunion episode was correlated with positive affect, r(87) = .28, p < .01, and negative affect, r(87) = -.40, p < .001.

    “HP in the reunion episode was correlated with positive, r(87) = .28,p < .01,and negative, r(87) = -.40,p < .001,affect.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingown data

    RSA in the reunion episode was correlated with positive affect, r(86) = .27, p < .05.

    “RSA in the reunion episode was correlated with positive affect, r(86) = .27,p < .05.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingown data

    Maternal sensitivity ranged from a score of -1 to 19 (M = 10.52, SD = 4.04).

    “Maternal sensitivity ranged from a score of -1 to 19 (M = 10.52,SD = 4.04).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    There were no effects of maternal sensitivity on infants' negative or positive affect.

    “There were no effects for maternal sensitivity on infants' negative or positive affect.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Findingown data

    There were no effects of demographic variables on mothers' RSA.

    “There were no effects for demographic variables.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • The quote only partly states this claim.

    Findingown data

    There was no main effect of maternal sensitivity on mothers' RSA.

    “There was no main effect for maternal sensitivity.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    Infants' negative affect increased from normal play to the still-face and reunion episodes, and positive affect decreased from normal play to the still-face episode.

    “Consistent with the well-documented behavioral still-face effect, infants' negative affect increased from normal play to the still face, t(276) = 5.95, p < .001,and reunion, t(278) = 9.01, p < .001,episodes, and positive affect decreased from normal play to the still-face episode, t(290) = -10.49,p < .001.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    For all infants, HP decreased from baseline to the still-face episode and from baseline to reunion.

    “Consistent with the model for infants' RSA and with the correlation between RSA and HP, there was a decrease in HP from baseline to the still-face episode, t(260) = -6.58,p < .001,and from baseline to reunion, t(260) = -5.47,p < .001,for all infants.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    There were no effects of ethnicity, income, or infant sex on HP, negative, or positive affect.

    “There were no effects for ethnicity, income, or infant sex for HP, negative, or positive affect.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Infants have rudimentary self-regulatory abilities.

    “Although infants have rudimentary self-regulatory abilities, initially parents play an important role supporting the regulation of infants' physiological homeostasis (Spangler & Grossman, 1993; Spangler, Schieche, Ilg, Maier & Ackerman, 1994).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Spangler & Grossman, 1993 source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Spangler, Schieche, Ilg, Maier & Ackerman, 1994 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation

    Initially parents play an important role supporting the regulation of infants' physiological homeostasis.

    “Although infants have rudimentary self-regulatory abilities, initially parents play an important role supporting the regulation of infants' physiological homeostasis (Spangler & Grossman, 1993; Spangler, Schieche, Ilg, Maier & Ackerman, 1994).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Spangler & Grossman, 1993 source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Spangler, Schieche, Ilg, Maier & Ackerman, 1994 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Engagement with the environment is physiologically mediated by the ventral vagal complex, which effects parasympathetic control of the heart.

    “Porges's (2007) polyvagal theory asserts that engagement with the environment is physiologically mediated by the ventral vagal complex, which effects parasympathetic control of the heart.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Porges, 2007 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation

    Sensitive and responsive parenting may facilitate the organization of infants' physiological systems to achieve regulation.

    “Various theoretical perspectives propose that sensitive and responsive parenting may facilitate the organization of infants' physiological systems to achieve regulation, which is necessary to support more complex social-emotional and cognitive development (Panksepp, 2001;Schore, 2000;Siegel, 2001).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites Panksepp, 2001 source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Schore, 2000 source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Siegel, 2001 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable). May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    Parents' and infants' vagal regulation should be important components of achieving mutually positive, optimally arousing social interaction and may potentially mediate the relation between parenting and change in infants' self-regulation across development.

    “Thus, parents' and infants' vagal regulation should be important components of achieving mutually positive, optimally arousing social interaction and may potentially mediate the relation between parenting and change in infants' self-regulation across development (see review by Propper & Moore, 2006).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Propper & Moore, 2006

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation

    RSA withdrawal in response to challenge is thought to reflect more effective regulation.

    “Thus, inhibition or withdrawal of RSA during a challenging situation (typically measured as a decrease in RSA from baseline to a challenge task) is thought to reflect more effective regulation, although it may also simply indicate individual differences in what is experienced as aversive or challenging.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites Huffman et al., 1998 source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Stifter & Corey, 2001 source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Calkins, 1997 source

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  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Infants of mothers categorized as more responsive showed less negative affect and lower heart rate when mothers resumed social engagement during the FFSFP.

    “Infants of mothers categorized as more responsive, based on contingency to infants' behaviors, showed less negative affect and lower heart rate when mothers resumed social engagement during the FFSFP (Haley & Stansbury, 2003).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Haley & Stansbury, 2003

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Interpretationreasoning

    In the reunion, the typical increase in RSA suggests that infants' reengagement in social interaction helps them to regulate arousal and reorganize their behavior.

    “In the reunion, the typical increase in RSA suggests that infants' reengagement in social interaction helps them to regulate arousal and reorganize their behavior.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Infants find social disengagement challenging and their physiological regulation shifts to support attentional and affective behaviors intended to elicit nonresponsive partners and/or cope with their own distress.

    “This pattern of behavioral and RSA change suggests that infants find social disengagement challenging and that their physiological regulation shifts to support attentional and affective behaviors presumably intended to elicit their nonresponsive partners and/or cope with their own distress.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    The same pattern of RSA change was found with strangers as with parents, suggesting a general mechanism of infants' dependence on a social partner to structure social interaction and to support regulation.

    “The same pattern of RSA change was found as with parents, suggesting a general mechanism of infants' dependence on a social partner to structure social interaction and to support regulation.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Bazhenova et al., 2001 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Premisenone given

    During the reunion, infants typically show a decrease in negative affect and an increase in positive affect, although they may remain more negative and less positive than in normal play.

    “During the reunion, infants typically show a decrease in negative affect and an increase in positive affect, although they may remain more negative and less positive than in normal play.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    During the still face, infants typically show an increase in negative affect and looking away and a decrease in positive affect, and physiologically they show a decrease in RSA.

    “During the still face, infants typically show an increase in negative affect and looking away and a decrease in positive affect, and physiologically they show a decrease in RSA (Bazhenova, Plonskaia, & Porges, 2001;Ham & Tronick, 2006;Moore & Calkins, 2004;Weinberg & Tronick, 1996).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites Bazhenova, Plonskaia, & Porges, 2001

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Ham & Tronick, 2006

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    • cites Moore & Calkins, 2004 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based).

    Interpretationnone given

    Parental support (or lack of) for mutual regulation during social interaction supports and shapes the developmental process of effective functional integration of behavioral and physiological systems.

    “In general, we contend that it is parental support (or lack of) for mutual regulation during social interaction that supports and shapes the developmental process of effective functional integration of these systems.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Mothers with high basal or activation levels of cortisol were rated as more negative with their infants only if they failed to show RSA withdrawal in a challenge task.

    “In other work from our research group, mothers with high basal or activation levels of cortisol, indicating higher physiological stress reactivity, were rated as more negative with their infants only if they failed to show RSA withdrawal in a challenge task (Mills-Koonce et al., 2007), providing additional support that parents who can regulate their own physiological reactivity effectively may be”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Mills-Koonce et al., 2007 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductcitation

    Free play interactions were coded by two independent coders who were unaware of the study's hypotheses, according to a coding system used by the NICHD Study of Early Child Care.

    “Free play interactions were coded by two independent coders, who were unaware of the study's hypotheses, according to a coding system used by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care (NICHD Early Child Care Research Network, 1997).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites NICHD Early Child Care Research Network, 1997

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductnone given

    Data files that required editing of more than 10% of the data or that were incomplete due to technical problems were not included in analyses.

    “Data files that required editing of more than 10% of the data or that were incomplete due to technical problems (e.g., the infant pulled off electrodes during the procedure) were not included in analyses.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductnone given

    All interactions were double coded and final scores were agreed upon by conferencing.

    “All interactions were double coded and final scores were agreed upon by conferencing.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Study design and conductreasoning

    Observation of maternal sensitivity outside of the experimental procedure was thought to provide a better index of the infants' typical experience of their mothers' sensitivity.

    “Because ratings of maternal sensitivity are often influenced by infants' negative affect (with mothers of negative infants rated lower in sensitivity) and because many infants show negative behavior during the FFSFP, observation of maternal sensitivity outside of the experimental procedure was thought to provide a better index of the infants' typical experience of their mothers' sensitivity.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductnone given

    Infants' and mothers' behaviors were coded by trained coders naive to the hypotheses of the current study, with different coders assigned to code mothers' and infants' behaviors.

    “Infants' and mothers' behaviors were coded by trained coders naive to hypotheses of the current study.Different coders were assigned to code mothers' and infants' behaviors.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductcitation

    The free play interaction and method for computing the sensitivity composite score were very similar to procedures used in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care.

    “The free play interaction and method for computing the sensitivity composite score were very similar to procedures used in the NICHD Study of Early Childcare (NICHD Early Child Care Research Network, 1997).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites NICHD Early Child Care Research Network, 1997

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductown data

    Coders reliably identified affect (kappa = .89 for infants, .83 for mothers) and direction of gaze (kappa = .90 for infants, .85 for mothers).

    “Overall, coders reliably identified affect (КЅ = .89for infants, .83for mothers) and direction of gaze (КЅ = .90for infants, .85 for mothers).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductown data

    The stability coefficient for the sensitivity score between 6 and 12 months was .67, suggesting adequate test-retest reliability.

    “As part of the larger study, participants were also observed at 12 months in a 10-min free play interaction and, although the 12-month data are not the focus of the current report, the stability coefficient for the sensitivity score between 6 and 12 months was .67,suggesting adequate test-retest reliability.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Study design and conductnone given

    Coders were trained to reliability until intraclass correlation coefficients of .80 or greater were established and maintained with criterion coders.

    “Coders were trained to reliability until intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) of .80 or greater were established and maintained with criterion coders (and for each individual pair of coders).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

    Premisenone given

    There have been no reported sex differences in infants' vagal regulation in the FFSFP in previous studies.

    “There have been no reported sex differences in infants' vagal regulation in the FFSFP in previous studies, and there have been mixed findings for sex differences in behavioral measures.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    The NICHD Study of Early Child Care has reported excellent predictive validity for sensitivity measured in the 10-min free play interaction, predicting many aspects of child development, including attachment security, self-control, compliance, behavior problems, and social competence.

    “That study has reported excellent predictive validity for sensitivity measured in the 10-min free play interaction, predicting many aspects of child development, including attachment security, self-control, compliance, behavior problems, and social competence (NICHD Early Child Care Research Network, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001a, 2001b, 2002, 2004a, 2004b,2005).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites NICHD Early Child Care Research Network, 1997

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites NICHD Early Child Care Research Network, 1998

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    • cites NICHD Early Child Care Research Network, 1999

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  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductown data

    Inter-rater ICCs for the 6-month sensitivity score ranged from .82 to .98, and the average ICC across all coders was .89.

    “Inter-rater ICCs for the 6-month sensitivity score ranged from .82 to .98.The average ICC across all coders was .89.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductreasoning

    The order of home and laboratory visits was not expected to affect findings.

    “Because families had participated in assessments during an earlier 3-month visit and because tasks varied between the home and the laboratory assessments, we did not expect that order of home and lab visits would affect findings.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductown data

    Measures of skewness and kurtosis were examined and data were found to be normally distributed.

    “Measures of skewness and kurtosis were examined and data were found to be normally distributed.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductcitation

    RSA and HP were derived using Porges's (1985) method, with 15-s epochs validated by previous research.

    “After editing the IBI files, measures of RSA and heart period (HP) were derived using Porges's (1985) method.First, RSA and HP were calculated in 15-s epochs during the baseline period and each 2-min episode of the FFSFP.Although this epoch duration is brief, it is typical for studies of short duration tasks and has been validated by previous research (Huffman et al., 1998).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Porges, 1985

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Huffman et al., 1998 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductnone given

    Data were not missing systematically by ethnicity, infant sex, or income group.

    “Data were not missing systematically by ethnicity, infant sex, or income group.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    Sensitive mothers and infants of sensitive mothers were equally active and engaged in cocreating a mutually responsive social interaction, reflected in the consistent direction of RSA change and the association between that change for mothers and dyadic behavioral synchrony.

    “Thus, we propose that, taken together, our findings regarding change in RSA and behavioral synchrony suggest that sensitive mothers and infants of sensitive mothers were equally active and engaged in cocreating a mutually responsive social interaction and that this was reflected in the consistent direction of change in RSA (a decrease) and the association between that change for mothers and dyadic”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Sensitive parenting may have an effect on concurrent functioning of and change over time in infants' physiological self-regulation, particularly in response to challenges of social interaction.

    “Together our findings suggest that sensitive parenting may have an effect on concurrent functioning of and change over time in infants' physiological self-regulation, particularly in response to challenges of social interaction.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
    • The authors state this as an assumption: Experience in social interaction shapes the development of infants' capacities to effectively regulate engagement with the environment, whether that engagement is within social or nonsocial contexts.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductown data

    Missing data prevented examination of whether mother-infant physiological responses were more highly correlated for dyads within the highly sensitive group of mothers.

    “We were unable, due to missing data, to examine whether mother -infant physiological responses were more highly correlated for dyads within the highly sensitive group of mothers.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationown data

    Sensitive mothers and their infants were more mutually responsive to each other even though affective valence did not differ.

    “However, we found that a greater decrease in mothers' RSA was associated with a higher level of behavioral dyadic synchrony in both normal play and reunion episodes, suggesting that sensitive mothers and their infants were more mutually responsive to each other even though affective valence did not differ.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Study design and conductown data

    Findings regarding change in RSA were based on analyses conducted separately for mothers and infants.

    “Although sensitive mothers and infants of sensitive mothers, on average, showed the same direction of change in RSA (a decrease) during the reunion episode, whereas the typical pattern that has been found in prior research is for mothers and infants to show the opposite direction of change, it is important to note that findings regarding change in RSA were based on analyses conducted separately”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Salivary α-amylase was higher in African American infants at 5, 10, and 12 months than European American infants.

    “Salivary α-amylase, an enzyme produced by salivary glands and a relatively new measure of individual differences in sympathetic stress reactivity in infants (Granger et al., 2006), was found to be higher in African American infants at 5, 10, and 12 months than European American infants (Granger et al., 2007;Hill-Soderlund et al., 2008).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Granger et al., 2007 source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Hill-Soderlund et al., 2008

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Interpretationcitation

    These results suggest greater levels of stress in African American infants but also may suggest a more responsive, attentive, and reactive disposition.

    “Together these results suggest greater levels of stress in African American infants but also may suggest a more responsive, attentive, and reactive disposition, perhaps representing a better preparedness for challenge (Beauchaine, 2001).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Beauchaine, 2001 source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • Rests on an assumption: Higher salivary α-amylase is associated with a stress reaction considered to be an appropriate response to challenge in the environment.
    • Rests on an assumption: Higher levels of basal RSA are typically associated with greater reactivity to environmental stimulation.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Higher basal RSA in early infancy has been found to be associated with higher reactivity, expressivity, and difficult temperament.

    “The findings could relate to evidence that higher basal RSA in early infancy has been found to be associated with higher reactivity, expressivity, and difficult temperament (Porges et al., 1994;Stifter & Fox, 1990;Stifter, Fox, & Porges, 1989).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites Porges et al., 1994 source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Stifter & Fox, 1990

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Stifter, Fox, & Porges, 1989

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Infants who failed to show RSA withdrawal in response to the still-face but who also did not show behavioral signs of distress were the most positive and engaged with their mothers during the reunion episode.

    “Ham and Tronick (2006) identified four patterns of reactivity based on combined behavioral and physiological responses to the FFSFP and found that infants who failed to show RSA withdrawal in response to the still-face but who also did not show behavioral signs of distress were the most positive and engaged with their mothers during the reunion episode”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Ham and Tronick (2006)

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    A normative developmental shift appears to occur for infants with high basal RSA who, as toddlers, have been found to be higher in sociability and positive affect.

    “However, a normative developmental shift appears to occur for infants with high basal RSA who, as toddlers, have been found to be higher in sociability and positive affect (Porges et al., 1994).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Porges et al., 1994 source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Infants who reacted with distress to frustration but who also displayed high levels of regulatory behaviors had higher RSA.

    “Stifter and Jain (1996) categorized infants in terms of behaviors that indicated reactivity/distress and behaviors indicating regulation.Infants who reacted with distress to frustration but who also displayed high levels of regulatory behaviors had higher RSA.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Stifter and Jain (1996)

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductreasoning

    The study examined only parasympathetic reactivity; HP is correlated with RSA and is not independent of parasympathetic influences.

    “Second, we examined only parasympathetic reactivity.Although we did examine HP to better understand results, HP is correlated with RSA and is not independent of parasympathetic influences.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductreasoning

    No causal direction is implied.

    “Furthermore, no causal direction is implied.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Premisecitation

    Environmental experiences are likely to be instrumental in determining whether infants with high basal RSA develop effective self-regulatory ability or take a path to stability in negative reactivity.

    “Researchers have proposed that environmental experiences are likely to be instrumental in determining whether infants with high basal RSA develop effective selfregulatory ability or take a path to stability in negative reactivity (e.g., Calkins, 1994;Fox, Schmidt, Henderson, & Marshall, 2007).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Calkins, 1994

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites Fox, Schmidt, Henderson, & Marshall, 2007

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Interpretationnone given

    Parents may shape development through their help in alleviating negative emotions, reinforcing positive ones, and structuring social interactions.

    “Parents may shape this development through their help in alleviating negative emotions, reinforcing positive ones, and structuring the social interactions in which infants practice and eventually consolidate their self-regulatory capacity.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
    • The authors state this as an assumption: Experience in social interaction shapes the development of infants' capacities to effectively regulate engagement with the environment, whether that engagement is within social or nonsocial contexts.
59 of 59

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Parents who regulate their own reactions effectively are more likely to be able to sensitively attend and respond to the needs of their infants.

    “Parents who regulate their own reactions effectively are more likely to be able to sensitively attend and respond to the needs of their infants.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Through repeated, day-to-day caregiving and play, parent-infant interactions provide the context for the emergence of infants' physiological and behavioral systems of regulation.

    “Through repeated, day-to-day caregiving and play, parent-infant interactions provide the context for the emergence of infants' physiological and behavioral systems of regulation.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Vagal tone is activated during quiescence, inhibited or withdrawn during challenge, and reactivated after environmental demands cease.

    “During periods of relative quiescence when there are few demands to sustain or promote engagement with the environment, vagal tone is activated, contributing to a slowing down of heart rate and allowing a focus on internal, homeostatic processes.During situations that present some type of demands or challenges, these internal processes are disrupted and the autonomic nervous system increases card”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The order of home and laboratory visits does not affect the findings.

    “Because families had participated in assessments during an earlier 3-month visit and because tasks varied between the home and the laboratory assessments, we did not expect that order of home and lab visits would affect findings.”

  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    Experience in social interaction shapes the development of infants' capacities to effectively regulate engagement with the environment, whether that engagement is within social or nonsocial contexts.

    “Our assumption in undertaking the current research was that experience in social interaction shapes the development of infants' capacities to effectively regulate engagement with the environment, whether that engagement is within social or nonsocial contexts.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Higher salivary α-amylase is associated with a stress reaction considered to be an appropriate response to challenge in the environment.

    “Higher salivary α-amylase is associated with a stress reaction considered to be an appropriate response to challenge in the environment and higher levels of basal RSA are typically associated with greater reactivity to environmental stimulation.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Higher levels of basal RSA are typically associated with greater reactivity to environmental stimulation.

    “Higher salivary α-amylase is associated with a stress reaction considered to be an appropriate response to challenge in the environment and higher levels of basal RSA are typically associated with greater reactivity to environmental stimulation.”
7 of 7

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Statistics recomputed

Every reported test result, recomputed from its test statistic and degrees of freedom. A result shows as not adding up only once an independent check has confirmed it.

  • Consistentr(94) = 0.26reported p < .05 · recomputed p = .011

    “r(94) = .26,p < .05”

  • Consistentr(94) = -0.21reported p < .05 · recomputed p = .040

    “r(94) = -.21,p < .05”

  • Consistentr(86) = 0.27reported p < .05 · recomputed p = .011

    “r(86) = .27,p < .05”

  • Consistentr(87) = 0.28reported p < .01 · recomputed p = .008

    “r(87) = .28,p < .01”

  • Consistentr(87) = -0.4reported p < .001 · recomputed p < .001

    “r(87) = -.40,p < .001”

  • Consistentr(141) = 0.21reported p < .05 · recomputed p = .012

    “r(141) = .21,p < .05”

  • Consistentr(105) = -0.25reported p < .05 · recomputed p = .009

    “r(105) = -.25, p < .05”

  • Consistentr(104) = -0.24reported p < .05 · recomputed p = .013

    “r(104) = -.24,p < .05”

  • Consistentr(66) = 0.32reported p < .01 · recomputed p = .008

    “r(66) = .32,p < .01”

  • Consistentr(91) = 0.24reported p < .05 · recomputed p = .020

    “r(91) = .24,p < .05”

  • Consistentr(110) = -0.3reported p < .01 · recomputed p = .001

    “r(110) = -.30,p < .01”

  • Consistentt(260) = -2.7reported p < .01 · recomputed p = .007

    “t(260) = -2.70,p < .01”

  • Consistentt(260) = -2.5reported p < .05 · recomputed p = .013

    “t(260) = -2.50,p < .05”

  • Consistentr(108) = -0.2reported p < .05 · recomputed p = .036

    “r(108) = -.20,p < .05”

  • Consistentr(104) = -0.2reported p < .05 · recomputed p = .040

    “r(104) = -.20,p < .05”

  • Consistentt(260) = -6.58reported p < .001 · recomputed p < .001

    “t(260) = -6.58,p < .001”

  • Consistentt(260) = -5.47reported p < .001 · recomputed p < .001

    “t(260) = -5.47,p < .001”

  • Consistentt(114) = 1.83reported p = .07 · recomputed p = .070

    “t(114) = 1.83, p = .07”

  • Consistentt(276) = 5.95reported p < .001 · recomputed p < .001

    “t(276) = 5.95, p < .001”

  • Consistentt(278) = 9.01reported p < .001 · recomputed p < .001

    “t(278) = 9.01, p < .001”

  • Consistentt(290) = -10.49reported p < .001 · recomputed p < .001

    “t(290) = -10.49,p < .001”

21 of 21

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

Self-check results appear here once an independent check has confirmed them.

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 7

  1. Calkins, 1994, The development of emotion regulation, Monograph of the Society for Research in Child Development, 59, 2
  2. Hill-Soderlund, 2008, Physiological responses to the Strange Situation: Vagal withdrawal, salivary α-amylase and salivary cortisol in infants and mothers as a function of attachment status, Developmental Psychobiology, 50, 361
  3. Moore, , 2005, Mothers’ and infants’ physiological and behavioral responses to the still-face paradigm
  4. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Early Child Care Research Network, 2001, Parenting and the child’s world: Influences on intellectual, academic, and social-emotional development, 99
  5. Porges, 1985, Method and apparatus for evaluating rhythmic oscillations in a periodic physiological response system
  6. Siegel, 2001, Toward an interpersonal neurobiology of the developing mind: Attachment relationships, “mindsight,” and neural integration, Infant Mental Health Journal, 22, 67, 10.1002/1097-0355(200101/04)22:1<67::AID-IMHJ3>3.0.CO;2-G · DOI · Paper page
  7. Wilson, 1996, Stress, coping, and resiliency in children and families. Family research consortium: Advances in family research, 189

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Related

Authors
Moore, G. A., Hill-Soderlund, A. L., Propper, C. B., Calkins, S. D., Mills-Koonce, W. R., & Cox, M. J.
Affiliations
  • Pennsylvania State University (US)
  • University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
  • University of North Carolina at Greensboro (US)
Corresponding author
Moore, Ginger A
ORCID
Venue
Child Development
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2009-01-01
Volume
80
Issue
1
Pages
209-223
ISSN
  • 0009-3920 (ISSN-L)
  • 1467-8624
DOI
10.1111/j.1467-8624.2008.01255.x
OpenAlex
W2041125949
Semantic Scholar
c595f706bbca2f726c28f20e50881c15bb120418
Cited by
270
References
56
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 17
FWCI
6.68
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Child Development (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • NC Digital Online Collection of Knowledge and Scholarship (The University of North Carolina at Greensboro) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Infant Health and Development
Keywords
mother-infant interaction, still-face paradigm, maternal sensitivity, vagal tone, respiratory sinus arrhythmia, mutual responsiveness, infant affect, physiological regulation
MeSH terms
Affect, Arousal, Facial Expression, Female, Heart Rate, Homeostasis, Humans, Infant, Male, Maternal Behavior, Mother-Child Relations, Personality Assessment, Play and Playthings, Vagus Nerve

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Claims read by deepseek-v4.1-flash under definition version 3 (extract-v3) on 2026-10-09.

Classified by jev-1.13-20260917 (gold-guideline-v0.2) on 2026-10-09.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

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