Basic research on the development of emotion regulation and its pathology : Comparing mature infants and infants born prematurely.

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The main results of this research are as follows :1.Change in quantity of infant distress from the first to the 10^<th> month. The length of infant distress (fussing and/or crying) decreased significantly from the beginning of observation at 6-7 week after birth to the 10^<th> month. Variability in the length of distress among subjects also decreased gradually over the period, with the period from 4 to 6 month and the period from 7 to 10 month showing significant positive correlation Although the observed frequency of distress did not show constant variation, four types of change in frequency were observed, namely, increasing or decreasing at 4 to 6 month, gradually increasing type and gradually decreasing type.2.Maternal interventions and infant distress. No significant relationship between the quantity of infant distress and maternal perceptions of infants' temperamental features and the efficacy of maternal intervention. However, a negative correlation was observed between the obser … More ved frequency of distress and maternal report of self-efficacy. Furthermore, strong positive correlations were observed between maternal self-efficacy and maternal intervention, maternal inference on infant characteristics, for the following periods : 1 to 3 month and 4 to 6 month, 4 to 6 month and 7 to 10 month, 1 to 3 month and 7 to 10 month.3.Relationship between maternal perception of infant temperamental characteristics and infant distress. Relationship between infant temperament observed at 8 month by means of questionnaire and infant distress observed at 1 to 3 month and 4 to 6 month were observed. 1)Negative correlation between length of infant distress and infant temperament, maternal perception of infant soothability was observed, while positive correlation between frequency of infant distress and distress/anger resulted from arm constraint, or distress towards novel stimuli and the results of Infant Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ). 2)Significant negative correlation between length of infant distress and persistence of orientation, hedonic tone of infants were observed.4.Maternal intervention of infant distress. Significant positive correlation between the variability on maternal intervention behaviors and the length of infant distress was observed. 1)Significant decrease in 'Sensory Stimulation' for periods between 1 to 3 month and 4 to 6 month, between 4 to 6 month and 7 to 10 month. 2)Significant increase of 'Play' and 'Care-taking' for the periods between 1 to 3 month and 4 to 6 month. 3)Increase of frequency of holding. Less