Differential Effects of Still‐Face Interaction on Mothers of Term and Preterm Infants

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis study investigated the effect of still‐face interaction on the affect, behavior, and perception in mothers of term and low‐birth‐weight preterm (gestational age <37 weeks and birth weight < 2,500g) infants. Thirty‐five Taiwanese mothers and their healthy 2‐month‐old term and low‐birth‐weight preterm (corrected age) infants participated in the maternal still‐face procedure. Mothers' perceptions of infant affect, their own affective experience, and parenting efficacy were obtained via video‐playback interviews. Infant affect, maternal affect, and maternal behavior were also coded from videos using fine‐grained behavioral coding strategies. Overall, the results showed that the perturbation of still‐face interaction differentially affected the affect, behavior, and perception of mothers of term and preterm infants. Mothers of term, not preterm, infants accurately reported the still‐face effect on their infants' affect. Although both groups of mothers reported similar changes in their affective experience that resembled the classic still‐face effect on infants, mothers of term, not preterm, infants were observed to decrease their positive affect from before to after the still‐face interaction. Furthermore, although neither groups of mothers did change their perceived and observed parenting efficacy from before to after the still‐face interaction, mothers of term infants demonstrated greater responsive engagement than mothers of preterm infants. Finally, mothers' perceived affective positivity predicted perceived parenting efficacy both before and after the still‐face interaction, after controlling for infant birth status and infant affective positivity perceived by mothers. The differential response in mothers of preterm infants indicated the needs for intervention.