In the institute's study, behavior problems were related to levels of maternal sensitivity.
But the most interesting finding was that maternal sensitivity at seven months was a crucial factor in the reaction at two.
Greater maternal sensitivity and higher level of family income and education correlated with better behavior in the children, the study found.
A recent study of 1,100 mothers and babies measured maternal sensitivity to the infant at seven, 15 and 24 months.
Re "Turning a Mass of Data on Child Care Into Advice for Parents" (July 22): I find it bothersome, though not at all surprising, that the parent-child interaction that the study discusses is put in terms of "maternal sensitivity".
The new study, to be released today in Child Development magazine, is based on data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care, which followed more than 1,000 children in 10 cities over three years, examining maternal sensitivity, home environment, hours in child care and quality of child care.
Play sessions were coded for maternal sensitivity and dyadic reciprocity.
Maternal sensitivity predicted mother-orienting behavior for all infants, regardless of baseline EEG asymmetry.
Findings regarding associations between maternal sensitivity and infant and mother adrenocortical function have been inconsistent.
Maternal sensitivity also predicted more distraction behaviors for infants with left frontal EEG asymmetry at baseline.
Extensive, structured observations of maternal sensitivity were conducted at infant age 16 months.
