Child abusers' perceptual responses to newborn infant cries varying in pitch

Abstract

Twenty abusive and 20 comparison parents rated three groups of infant cries that varied in the amount of high-pitched hyperphonation contained in the acoustic structure. Analyses showed that as the amount of hyperphonation increased across groups of cries, cries were rated by both groups of parents as more likely to lead to the future abuse of the infant. Abusive parents found hyperphonated cries, but not phonated cries, to be more similar to their own abused infant's cries than comparison parents. Attributions regarding whether each cry was from an infant who had previously been abused were then experimentally manipulated and cries were rated on live perceptual scale items. Abusive and comparison parents found hyperphonated cries to be generally more distressing, sick, and urgent than cries with less hyperphonation. Attributing the cry to a previously abused infant, however, resulted in the infant being perceived as generally sounding more sick and less spoiled. Phonated and partially hyperphonated cries were regarded as more arousing and distressing when attributed to abused infants. Unlike comparison parents, abusive parents did not differentiate between phonated and partially hyperphonated cries on ratings of urgency but found hyperphonated cries to be particularly urgent. Crying is discussed as one part of the infant's behavioral repertoire that may contribute to the development of physically abusive parent-infant interactions.