Temporal coordination between maternal looming and infant gaze in depressed and nondepressed dyads: A bootstrapping approach

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In this study, we examine the convergent validity of a measure of maternal looming derived using a motion capture system, and the temporal coordination between maternal loom and infant gaze using an event-based bootstrapping procedure. The sample comprised 26 mothers diagnosed with postpartum depression, 43 nondepressed mothers, and their 4-month-old infants. Mother-infant interactions were recorded during a standard face-to-face setting using video cameras and a motion capture system. First, results showed that maternal looming was correlated with a globally coded measure of maternal overriding. Maternal overriding is an intrusive behavior occurring when the mother redirects the infant’s attention to parent-led activities. Thus, this result confirms that maternal looming can be considered a spatial intrusion in early interactions. Second, results showed that compared to nondepressed dyads, depressed dyads were more likely to coordinate maternal loom and infant gaze in a Loom-in-Gaze-pattern. We discuss the use of automated measurement for analyzing other-infant interactions, and how the Loom-in-Gaze pattern can be interpreted as a disturbance in infant self-regulation.
Original languageEnglish
Article number101523
JournalInfant Behavior and Development
Volume62
Number of pages10
ISSN0163-6383
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021

    Research areas

  • Faculty of Social Sciences - Gaze, Loom, Mother-infant interaction, Postpartum depression, Postnatal depression, Selfregulation, Motion capture

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