Infant regulation during the pandemic: Associations with maternal response to the COVID-19 pandemic, well-being, and socio-emotional investment.

Abstract

In the transition to parenthood, the COVID‐19 pandemic poses an additional strain on parental well‐being. Confirmed infections or having to quarantine, as well as public health measures negatively affect parents and infants. Contrary to previous studies mainly focusing on the well‐being of school‐aged children and their parents during lockdown periods, the present study investigated how mothers of infants respond to the COVID‐19 pandemic and whether this is related to maternal well‐being, maternal socio‐emotional investment, and infant regulation. Between April and June 2021, 206 mothers of infants (M age = 7.14 months, SD age = 3.75 months) reported on COVID‐19 infections, their response to the COVID‐19 pandemic, their well‐being, socio‐emotional investment, and their infant’s regulation. Exploratory factor analyses yielded five dimensions of maternal response to the COVID‐19 pandemic: social distancing, worrying about the child, birth anxiety, distancing from the child, and information on COVID‐19‐related parenting behavior and support. These dimensions were related to mother‐reported infant regulatory problems. Path analyses revealed paths via reduced maternal well‐being and maternal socio‐emotional investment. Maternal perceptions of infant regulatory problems are related to how the mothers respond to the COVID‐19 pandemic. Better information about COVID‐19‐related parenting behavior and support might buffer against these effects.