UVM Theses and Dissertations
Format:
Print
Author:
Lekka, Shamila K.
Dept./Program:
Psychology
Year:
2007
Degree:
MA
Abstract:
This study examined the direct and indirect pathways by which marital conflict affects infant emotion regulation to frustration in 6 month old infants. In older children, extant research shows that marital conflict spills over to the parent-child relationship via negative parental behavior. However, recent research exploring these pathways in infants has not observed the spill-over effect. In the present study, I examine: a) indirect effects of mothers' and fathers' marital aggression; and b) direct effects of negative maternal behavior, father play, and exposure to marital aggression on infant emotion regulation.
Eighty two mothers, 74 fathers and their 6- month-old infants participated. Parental reports of marital conflict and amount of father play, and observational measures of mother-infant interaction to a frustrating stimulus were obtained. Results suggest that both mothers and fathers in this low risk sample are able to prevent spill-over of marital conflict to the infant-parent interaction, and thus foster effective emotion regulation behaviors especially in their infant daughters.
Eighty two mothers, 74 fathers and their 6- month-old infants participated. Parental reports of marital conflict and amount of father play, and observational measures of mother-infant interaction to a frustrating stimulus were obtained. Results suggest that both mothers and fathers in this low risk sample are able to prevent spill-over of marital conflict to the infant-parent interaction, and thus foster effective emotion regulation behaviors especially in their infant daughters.