Mother-infant and father-infant interaction in the Still-Face Paradigm: Effects of maternal mental health

• Grant number: 24/18027-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Human Development Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Taís Chiodelli
• Grantee: Beatriz Fernandes Abbade
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências (FC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The quality of interaction between caregivers and infants is fundamental for child development and learning. Maternal mental health stands out as a significant factor influencing the mother-baby interaction pattern. In this sense, mothers with postpartum depression tend to be less responsive to the signals presented by their infants. Studies suggest that fathers can moderate the effects of maternal depression on child development. However, there remains a gap in understanding how fathers, in their interaction with infants, can compensate for care and stimulation in this context. Thus, the general objective of this work is to describe and compare mother-infant and father-infant interactions using the experimental procedure Face-to-Face Still-Face (FFSF), considering the presence of clinical indicators of maternal mental health. This is a retrospective, cross-sectional, and observational study with video analysis. The research will involve 10 caregiver-infant dyads divided into two groups: Group 1: 5 mother-infant dyads with clinical indicators of mental health (stress, postpartum depression, and/or anxiety) and Group 2: 5 father-infant dyads from the same family. The interactive behaviors of the infants will be recorded at five-second intervals and analyzed using the Coding and Analysis System for Infant Behaviors Expressed in the Still-Face. The data generated from the interaction analyses will be described using descriptive and inferential statistics. Describing and analyzing these interactions may enhance understanding of the topic and contribute to the development of interventions that promote child development and caregiver health.