Prenatal Psychosocial Distress Interacting with Postnatal Maternal Sensitivity in Shaping Infant Observed Affect and RSA Profiles

We (1) identified profiles of infant behavioral and physiological responses across the still-face paradigm, (2) examined differences in subsequent infant outcomes across profiles, and (3) examined the independent and interactive effects of prenatal maternal distress and early postnatal caregiving environments as predictors of infant profiles. Participants (N = 299, 52.5% non-Hispanic White; 48.8% female infants) reported a variety of prenatal distress indicators. Maternal sensitivity was observed when infants were 2 months, and infant positive and negative affect and respiratory sinus arrhythmia were assessed during the still-face at 6 months. Regulatory and problem behaviors were observed/reported at 1 and 2 years. Three latent profiles emerged: high negative affect, modest still-face effect, and strong still-face effect. Infants in the modest still-face effect profile demonstrated subsequent better emotion regulation and lower behavior problems, compared to the others, albeit at 1 year only. Infants with matched prenatal and postnatal environments (i.e., high prenatal distress, low maternal sensitivity) tended to be in the modest still-face effect profile, whereas those experiencing mismatched environments (i.e., high prenatal distress, high sensitivity) were more likely to be in other profiles. Results suggest the importance of considering the joint effects of prenatal and postnatal caregiving environments on infant regulatory and behavioral development.