Positive Dyadic Interaction Research Articles

The impact of art therapy on the relationships between individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and their care partners

AbstractBackgroundIndividuals with dementia have long reported negative social and psychological experiences. The current study employed a small group art therapy intervention; the intra‐ and inter‐personal impact was assessed through patient and care partner self‐report.MethodThirty patient / care partner dyads were enrolled. Patients had an Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis, MMSE score of 18‐26, and insight into their condition. For each 4‐week session, 3 to 4 dyads jointly participated in a 90‐minute, weekly art therapy intervention, facilitated by a Registered Art Therapist. A pre‐test post‐test design was employed, with patients completing the Dyadic Relationship Scale, Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale, and Stigma Impact Scale; care partners completed the Dyadic Relationship Scale and Dementia Attitudes Scale.1,2,3,4 During each study visit, subjects viewed and discussed artwork, created art, and were encouraged to share their artwork with the group.ResultAnalysis was performed using Wilcoxon signed rank test. Scores for both subscales of the Dyadic Relationship Scale – Positive Dyadic Interaction and Dyadic Strain – revealed a significant improvement (p = 0.002 and p = 0.001, respectively) after art therapy. A significant increase in care partner scores was also apparent on the Dementia Knowledge subscale of the Dementia Attitudes Scale. Patient data showed a significant shift towards better self‐esteem scores after intervention.ConclusionThis study fills a gap in research targeting intra‐ and inter‐personal experiences of individuals with dementia. Results indicate that art therapy may improve relationship dynamics between individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and their care partners, and may improve patients’ self‐esteem.

Expressions of a humanistic orientation among service providers supporting adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities

AbstractThe study investigated the influence of the humanistic orientation on the perspectives of service providers working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and the self‐evaluation of service users. The humanistic orientation, which emerged in the 1990s, emphasizes the rights of people with IDD to lead a meaningful life based on their personal needs and desires. However, challenges persist as some service providers prioritize the acquisition of normative life skills over fostering autonomy. The study was based on quantitative methodology and included 61 service providers and 95 of their service users. The study's findings indicate that the humanistic orientation was endorsed by nearly one half of the service providers compared with one third who endorsed a medical orientation. Those endorsing a humanistic orientation also reported that their service users had higher levels of efficacy than those with a medical perception of IDD. Positive correlations were found regarding the assessments made by service providers and their service users on self‐efficacy. Findings suggest that a humanistic orientation encourages optimism among service providers and a positive dyadic interaction between providers and users. It is suggested that the humanistic orientation be applied as a guiding principle underlying the daily support provided to adults with IDD.

There is chemistry in social chemistry.

Nonhuman terrestrial mammals sniff themselves and each other to decide who is friend or foe. Humans also sniff themselves and each other, but the function of this is unknown. Because humans seek friends who are similar to themselves, we hypothesized that humans may smell themselves and others to subconsciously estimate body odor similarity, which, in turn, may promote friendship. To test this, we recruited nonromantic same-sex friend dyads and harvested their body odor. We found that objective ratings obtained with an electronic nose, and subjective ratings obtained from independent human smellers converged to suggest that friends smell more similar to each other than random dyads. Last, we recruited complete strangers, smelled them with an electronic nose, and engaged them in nonverbal same-sex dyadic interactions. We observed that dyads who smelled more similar had more positive dyadic interactions. In other words, we could predict social bonding with an electronic nose. We conclude that there is indeed chemistry in social chemistry.

Person-Centered and Task-Centered Care and Mealtime Behaviors in Nursing Home Residents With Dementia: Impact on Food Intake.

Background and ObjectivesNursing home (NH) staff mealtime care approaches are associated with behaviors of residents with dementia, but their impact on food intake remains unexplored. This study examined the role of staff person-centered and task-centered approaches and resident positive, neutral, and challenging behaviors on food intake.Research Design and MethodsVideotaped mealtime observations (N = 160) involving 36 staff and 27 residents (53 unique staff–resident dyads) in 9 NHs were coded using the refined Cue Utilization and Engagement in Dementia mealtime video-coding scheme. The dependent variable was resident food intake. The independent variables were staff person-centered approaches that support resident abilities, staff–resident (dyadic) interactions, and dining environments, staff task-centered approaches, and resident positive, neutral, and challenging behaviors. Resident challenging behaviors included mealtime functional impairments and resistive behaviors. Linear mixed modeling was used. Moderating effects of staff approaches, food type, and length of dyadic mealtime interactions (ie, video duration) were examined.ResultsThe relationship between food intake and resident mealtime functional impairments was moderated by food type (p < .001). The relationship between food intake and resident resistive behaviors was moderated by food type (p = .002) and staff person-centered verbal approaches (p = .001). The relationships between food intake and staff person-centered nonverbal approaches (p = .003) and resident positive/neutral nonverbal behaviors (p = .004) were moderated by the length of dyadic mealtime interactions.Discussion and ImplicationsFood intake was associated with staff person-centered approaches and resident positive/neutral and challenging behaviors. Findings emphasize the importance of facilitating positive dyadic interactions using individualized, context-based, multifaceted, person-centered care. Future research on temporal and causal relationships is warranted in larger diverse samples.

MP46-01 COLLABORATIVE RESILIENCE PROGRAM TO ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR POST-PENECTOMY PATIENTS: DYADIC COPING PERSPECTIVE

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 May 2022MP46-01 COLLABORATIVE RESILIENCE PROGRAM TO ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR POST-PENECTOMY PATIENTS: DYADIC COPING PERSPECTIVE George Soko, Mwila Mulubwa, and Tepwanji Mpetemoya George SokoGeorge Soko More articles by this author , Mwila MulubwaMwila Mulubwa More articles by this author , and Tepwanji MpetemoyaTepwanji Mpetemoya More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000002612.01AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: The psychosocial impact of Penile cancer treatment generates ripple effect from the patient to his spouse triggering stress, compassion fatigue, and hampering the family’s normal functioning. Fundamental interventions focusing on both the spouse and patients, to improve self-worth and adaptation are generally lacking. Healthcare focus on the patients without regard to the spouses who are generally prone to Vicarious traumatization. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of a community based resiliency program on the dyadic family care giving congruence and quality of life of post penectomy patients and their spouses. METHODS: 50 dyads participated in a resiliency program in Lusaka, Zambia between February 2021 and August 2021, that involved 4- weekly sessions focused on emotional regulation, self awareness, distress reduction and building resiliency. A Pre- and post-test design using repeated measures was conducted over six months. Each dyad completed a patient and care giver version of the psychometrically validated two-factor Dyadic Relationship Scale (DRS) respectively, to assess negative dyadic strain and positive dyadic interactions. The WHO QoL BREF questionnaire was used to assess the four key domains of physical health, psychological, social relationship and environment, for each member of the dyads. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS version 23. RESULTS: Mean age: Spouses and patients; 34.5±7.5 and 41.2±7 years, respectively. DRS score on Positive Interaction; Spouses pre- and post intervention 12.7±1.5 and 23.7±0.62, respectively. Patients pre- and post intervention were 13.3±1.26 and 23.9±0.24, respectively. DRS score on Dyadic Strain; Spouses pre- and post intervention was 19.4±0.76 and 6.3±1.15, respectively. Mean score pre-intervention was significantly higher than at post intervention (p<0.001). Patients pre- and post intervention was 15.4±0.75 and 5±0.91, respectively. Mean score pre-intervention was significantly higher than at post intervention (p<0.001). There was significant increase in the QoL scores based on the four domains of the WHO BREF questionnaire, from pre- to post intervention for both spouses and patients (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Psychosocial support for family care dyads as they adapt to post penectomy status can alleviate negative effects on physical and mental health outcomes. Communication improved significantly after the resilient program implying that better reciprocal interactions between spouses can improve coping strategies and quality of life. Source of Funding: 0 © 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 207Issue Supplement 5May 2022Page: e772 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information George Soko More articles by this author Mwila Mulubwa More articles by this author Tepwanji Mpetemoya More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF DownloadLoading ...

Effects of a Caregiver Educational Program on Interactions between Family Caregivers and Patients with Advanced COPD.

The quality of family caregiver-patient interaction plays a crucial role in the context of chronic conditions. This study investigated the effects of a caregiver educational program on interactions between family caregivers and patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In this trial, 92 pairs of family caregivers and patients in a subspecialty lung care clinic located in Birjand, Iran were allocated into intervention and control groups (n = 46 per group). The intervention consisted of eight sessions, including three educational sessions on COPD, two educational sessions on coping strategies, as well as three peer support sessions. The Dyadic Relationship Scale was completed at baseline, posttest, and follow-up (2 months after intervention). For caregivers in the intervention group, positive dyadic interaction improved significantly from baseline to follow-up and from posttest to follow-up in comparison with the control group (p < 0.05). Also, for these caregivers, negative dyadic strain enhanced significantly from baseline to posttest and from baseline to follow-up as compared with those in the control group (p < 0.05). Finally, in patients of the intervention group, negative dyadic strain from baseline to follow-up and from posttest to follow-up significantly improved when compared with that of control patients (p < 0.05).

PCIT engagement and persistence among child welfare-involved families: Associations with harsh parenting, physiological reactivity, and social cognitive processes at intake.

Parent-Child interaction therapy (PCIT) has been shown to improve positive, responsive parenting and lower risk for child maltreatment (CM), including among families who are already involved in the child welfare system. However, higher risk families show higher rates of treatment attrition, limiting effectiveness. In N = 120 child welfare families randomized to PCIT, we tested behavioral and physiological markers of parent self-regulation and socio-cognitive processes assessed at pre-intervention as predictors of retention in PCIT. Results of multinomial logistic regressions indicate that parents who declined treatment displayed more negative parenting, greater perceptions of child responsibility and control in adult-child transactions, respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) increases to a positive dyadic interaction task, and RSA withdrawal to a challenging, dyadic toy clean-up task. Increased odds of dropout during PCIT's child-directed interaction phase were associated with greater parent attentional bias to angry facial cues on an emotional go/no-go task. Hostile attributions about one's child predicted risk for dropout during the parent-directed interaction phase, and readiness for change scores predicted higher odds of treatment completion. Implications for intervening with child welfare-involved families are discussed along with study limitations.

War trauma and infant motor, cognitive, and socioemotional development: Maternal mental health and dyadic interaction as explanatory processes

BackgroundTaking care of infants in conditions of war is highly demanding and a few studies reveal the negative impact of war trauma on maternal and infant well-being. Yet, little is known regarding the influence of trauma on infant development and the potential explanatory mechanisms. First, the present study examines how mothers’ prenatal exposure to traumatic war events is associated with infant cognitive, motor, and socioemotional development. Second, it analyses the mediating roles of maternal postpartum mental health problems, quality of dyadic mother-infant interaction, and earlier infant development (at six months) in the association between prenatal traumatic war events and infants’ developmental skills at 18 months. MethodThis prospective three-wave study involved 502 Palestinian pregnant females in their first trimester during the 2014 Gaza War and participated at delivery (T1) and when the child was six (T2;N = 392) and eighteen (T3; N = 386) months of age. Mothers reported their exposure to traumatic war events (human and material losses, horrors, and threat to life) at T1 and T2, and researchers photo-documented the extent of destruction at T1. Mothers reported infants’ language, fine- and gross-motor, and socioemotional skills at T2 and researchers tested infants’ motor, cognitive-language and socioemotional skills using the Bayley Scales of Infant development (BSID-II) at T3. Mothers reported their mental health problems (symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], depression and somatization) at T2 and T3 as well as dyadic interaction quality (the emotional availability self-report, [EA-SR] brief) at T2. ResultsFirst, the structural equation model (SEM) on direct effects indicated, in contrast to our hypotheses, that maternal prenatal exposure to traumatic war events did not associate with infants’ developmental skills at T2 and predicted higher level of developmental skills at T3. Second, as hypothesized, we found two negative underlying mechanisms (paths) between high exposure and low levels of motor, cognitive-language, and socioemotional skills at T3: (1) through increased maternal mental health problems at T2, which then were associated with problems at T3, and (2) through increased maternal mental health problems at T2, which then were associated with a low quality of mother-infant-interaction and low level of infant developmental skills at T2. ConclusionImproving maternal mental health and encouraging close and positive dyadic interaction can be critical for infant sensorimotor, cognitive, and socioemotional development in war conditions.

Face-to-Face Still-Face: Comparison between Interactive Behaviors of Full-Term and Preterm Infants

Abstract Some studies indicate differences in self-regulatory behaviors of infants, depending on their gestational age. This paper aimed to compare interactive behaviors of full-term and preterm infants in the Face-to-Face Still-Face (FFSF) paradigm. Thirty prematurely born infants and thirty full-term infants were observed in the FFSF’s experimental procedure, which consists in exposing the infant to two episodes of interaction with the mother plus another episode in which the interaction gets interrupted. The Coding System and Analysis of Infant Behaviors Expressed in Still-Face adapted was used to analyze the infants’ interactive behaviors. Significant differences were observed in self-comfort behaviors. All the infants showed the still-face and the recovery effect, and full-term infants showed a carry-over effect. Results contribute to planning interventions that will help mothers promote more positive dyadic interactions.

Trauma and Parenting Beliefs: Exploring the Ethnotheories and Socialization Goals of Palestinian Mothers

Parenting beliefs are important to infant wellbeing, but there is a lack of research into their role in war conditions. We examined (1) how maternal traumatic experiences (war events and childhood abuse) and mental health would be associated with parenting beliefs about good childrearing practices (ethnotheories) and desirable child characteristics (socialization goals) and (2) whether parenting beliefs mediate the impact of traumatic experiences and mental health on mother–infant interaction and infant development. Palestinian mothers (N = 510) participated during pregnancy and at four and 12 months postpartum. They reported current traumatic war events, emotional and physical abuse in their own childhood and mental health (posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety symptoms), their ethnotheories and socialization goals and the quality of dyadic mother–infant interactions and infant developmental skills (language, fine-motor, and gross-motor). High maternal exposure to traumatic war events was associated with higher autonomy-enhancing—and lower relatedness-enhancing—socialization goals. Conversely, maternal childhood abuse was associated with higher relatedness-enhancing—and lower autonomy-enhancing—socialization goals. High maternal exposure to traumatic war events was associated with high levels of positive dyadic interaction, whereas high emotional and physical abuse and mental health problems were associated with low levels of positive dyadic interaction. Parenting beliefs did not mediate the impact of maternal traumatic experiences and mental health on dyadic interaction or infant development. The nature of maternal traumatic experiences was central for the socialization goals in unique and specific ways. The findings emphasize the meaningfulness of parenting values, goals, and practices among mothers caring for their infants in war conditions.

Effects of the Family Check-Up on reducing growth in conduct problems from toddlerhood through school age: An analysis of moderated mediation.

The Family Check-Up (FCU) is a preventive intervention found to significantly reduce child conduct problems (CP). This study examined the extent to which parents reported that their child's CP were a problem for them at baseline (baseline CP) as a moderator of FCU effects into middle childhood and moderated mediation models to explore positive parent-child dyadic interaction and maternal depressive symptoms as mediators. Participants included 731 mother-child dyads followed from child ages 2 to 9.5 (49% female; 28% African American, 50% European American, 13% biracial, and 9% other; 13% self-reported as Hispanic), with half assigned to the FCU. Maternal depressive symptoms, observed parent and child behavior (positive dyadic interaction), and CP were assessed annually. Support was found for baseline CP as a moderator of the FCU, with significant decreases in CP for children in the FCU demonstrating high baseline CP. The following associations did not differ between those with high versus low baseline CP. The FCU significantly increased positive dyadic interaction. Lower maternal depressive symptoms were associated with significantly lower CP. Findings add to existing evidence that preventive interventions are effective for high-risk families, and the FCU is especially beneficial for children whose parents report high levels of CP in early childhood. Further, the FCU significantly improved positive dyadic interaction for families of children with both high and low baseline CP. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

The Attachment Doll Play Assessment: Predictive Validity with Concurrent Mother-Child Interaction and Maternal Caregiving Representations

Attachment is central to the development of children’s regulatory processes. It has been associated with developmental and psychiatric health across the life span, especially emotional and behavioral regulation of negative affect when stressed (Schore, 2001; Schore and Schore, 2008). Assessment of attachment patterns provides a critical frame for understanding emerging developmental competencies and formulating treatment and intervention. Play-based attachment assessments provide access to representational models of attachment, which are regarded in attachment theory as the central organizing mechanisms associated with stability or change (Bowlby, 1969/1982; Bretherton and Munholland, 2008). The Attachment Doll Play Assessment (ADPA, George and Solomon, 1990–2016; Solomon et al., 1995) is a prominent established representational attachment measure for children aged early latency through childhood. This study examines the predictive validity of the ADPA to caregiving accessibility and responsiveness assessed from mother-child interaction and maternal representation. Sixty nine mothers and their 5–7-year-old children participated in this study. Mother-child interaction was observed during a pre-separation dyadic interaction task. Caregiving representations were rated from the Caregiving Interview (George and Solomon, 1988/1993/2005/2007). Child security with mother was associated with positive dyadic interaction and flexibly integrated maternal caregiving representations. Child controlling/disorganized attachments were significantly associated with problematic dyadic interaction and dysregulated-helpless maternal caregiving representations. The clinical implications and the use of the ADPA in clinical and educational settings are discussed.

Understanding the relationship of perceived social support to post-trauma cognitions and posttraumatic stress disorder

Poor social support in the aftermath of a traumatic event is a well-established risk factor for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among adult trauma survivors. Yet, a great deal about the relationship between social support and PTSD remains poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed data from 102 survivors of a serious motor vehicle accident (MVA) at 4 weeks (Time 1) and 16 weeks (Time 2) post-MVA. We assessed the role of perceived dyadic social support, positive dyadic interaction, and negative dyadic interaction in the development and maintenance of PTSD. In addition, we examined how these social support constructs work together with negative post-trauma cognitions to affect the maintenance of PTSD. Neither perceived social support nor the quality of social interaction (i.e., positive or negative) was associated with PTSD symptom severity at Time 1. However, among those with elevated PTSD symptom severity at Time 1, greater social support and positive social interaction and lower negative social interaction were each associated with reductions in PTSD symptom severity from Time 1 to Time 2. For social support and negative social interaction, this association ceased to be significant when jointly assessed with negative post-trauma cognitions, suggesting that perceived social support and negative dyadic interaction were associated with maintenance of PTSD symptom severity because of their association with negative post-trauma cognitions. These results provide support to models and treatments of PTSD that emphasize the role of negative post-trauma cognitions in maintenance of PTSD.

Percepcija kvaliteta odnosa unutar porodice - iskustvo adolescenata iz Srbije

Istraživanje prikazano ovim radom opisuje specifičnosti porodice u Srbiji kao razvojnog okruženja u adolescenciji. Uzorak istraživanja činilo je 780 ispitanika, prosečnog uzrasta 19 godina. Uzorkom su obuhvaćeni mladi u srednjoj i kasnoj adolescenciji (raspon godina bio je od 15-28). U istraživanju je korišten srpski prevod Inventara mreže socijalnih odnosa (Network of Relationships Inventory -NRI, Furman, Buhrmaster, 1985), sa 9 merenih dimenzija odnosa: Prijateljstvo (Companionship), Instrumentalna pomoć (Instrumental Aid), Intimnost (Intimacy), Sigurnost u trajnost odnosa (Reliable Alliance), Poštovanje (Admiration), Briga (Nurturance) i Privrženost (Affection) (kao mere pozitivne razmene), te Konflikti (Conflict) i Antagonizam ( Antagonism) (kao mere negativne interakcije). Rezultati ukazuju na značajne razlike u percepciji odnosa sa majkom i ocem, koje jasno oslikavaju društveno normirane uloge roditelja. Odnos sa siblingom je značajno različit od odnosa sa roditeljima i uključuje više simetričnosti. Rezultati su prodiskutovati u kontekstu doprinosa dominirajućih kulturnih vrednosti proceni odnosa unutar porodice.

Dyadic Relationship Scale: A Measure of the Impact of the Provision and Receipt of Family Care

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Dyadic Relationship Scale (DRS), which measures negative and positive dyadic interactions from the perspective of both the patient and the family caregiver. An important aspect of evaluating the DRS was that it be statistically sound and meaningful for both members of the dyad. The study used a cross-sectional design. Survey packages were mailed to home health care patients and their family caregivers. The unit of analysis was the dyad, and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. We examined the reliability, discriminant, and concurrent validities of the instrument. The data supported a two-factor DRS that included negative dyadic strain (patient alpha =.84; caregiver alpha =.89) and positive dyadic interaction (patient alpha =.86; caregiver alpha =.85). The analysis supported the DRS's construct, discriminant, and concurrent validity, as well as its reliability for both patients and family caregivers. Using the DRS to measure the impact of family care on positive and negative interactions inclusive of patients and caregivers can assist in identifying areas of difficulty and guide interventions to improve outcomes for both members of the dyad.

Brief Report: Individual Social-Multi-Modal Intervention for HFASD

This research is the first part of a 2-year cognitive-behavioral-ecological (CB-E) social skills training for high-functioning children with autism spectrum disorder (HFASD). Current study examined efficacy of an individual CB-E intervention in facilitating children's dyadic interactions (immediately after treatment and 4 months later) and their social cognition capabilities (e.g., emotion understanding and recognition, social problem solving). Participants were 19 HFASD children aged 7 years and 7 months to 11 years and 6 months. Results demonstrated improvement in children's social cognition and positive dyadic interaction and decrease in children's low-level social interaction behavior. Long-term evaluation revealed maintenance of improvement. Progress in children's cooperation, self-control, and assertiveness was reported by their teachers. Discussion focused on CB-E intervention efficacy in promoting integral social functioning for HF children with ASD.

Patterns of brain electrical activity in infants of depressed mothers who breastfeed and bottle feed: the mediating role of infant temperament

Successful breastfeeding involves a dyadic interaction between a mother and her infant. The present study was designed to examine the association between breastfeeding and temperament in infants of depressed mothers. Seventy-eight mothers, 31 who were depressed, and their infants participated. Depressed mothers who had stable breastfeeding patterns were less likely to have infants with highly reactive temperaments. Multivariate analyses of variances (MANOVAs) showed that infants of depressed mothers who breastfed did not show the frontal asymmetry patterns, i.e., left frontal hypoactivity, previously reported. Moreover, breastfeeding stability, even in depressed mothers, was related to more positive dyadic interactions. Finally, a model was supported, in which the effects of maternal depression on infant feeding are mediated by infant frontal EEG asymmetry and infant temperament. These findings could provide a foundation for developing intervention techniques, employing breastfeeding promotion and support, directed toward attenuating the affective and physiological dysregulation already noted in infants of depressed mothers.

Resilience to Drinking Vulnerability in Women with Alcoholic Parents: The Moderating Effects of Dyadic Cohesion in Marital Communication

Data from a subsample of women (N = 4,235) in two waves of the National Longitudinal Surveys of Youth (NLSY) are used to examine the relationship between parental alcoholism and alcohol use in adult life. Dyadic cohesion in marital communication (frequency of interaction and agreement on substantive issues that affect couples) is investigated as a resilience factor that could potentially mitigate adverse drinking outcomes in adult children of alcoholics (ACAs). A moderated mediation model is estimated using a Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS) regression analysis. The results indicated that an imputed transmission of risk for drinking vulnerability in women AC As, controlling for nonACA status, was effectively moderated by positive dyadic interaction.

The effects of bottle and breast feeding of infant development

Successful breastfeeding involves a dyadic interaction between a mother and her infant. The present study was designed to examine the association between breastfeeding and temperament in infants of depressed mothers. Seventy-eight mothers, 31 who were depressed, and their infants participated. Depressed mothers who had stable breastfeeding patterns were less likely to have infants with highly reactive temperaments. Multivariate analyses of variances (MANOVAs) showed that infants of depressed mothers who breastfed did not show the frontal asymmetry patterns, i.e., left frontal hypoactivity, previously reported. Moreover, breastfeeding stability, even in depressed mothers, was related to more positive dyadic interactions. Finally, a model was supported, in which the effects of maternal depression on infant feeding are mediated by infant frontal EEG asymmetry and infant temperament. These findings could provide a foundation for developing intervention techniques, employing breastfeeding promotion and support, directed toward attenuating the affective and physiological dysregulation already noted in infants of depressed mothers.