Differential development of infants at risk for psychopathology: the moderating role of early maternal responsivity

The development of behaviour problems in infants born with biological risk (low birthweight) and psychosocial risk (psychosocially disadvantaged famil y) was studied in a sample of 347 children (171 males, 176 females) at the ages of 2, 4:6, and 8 years. In the search for factors that moderate the ef fects of early risks, the role of early responsive caregiving was examined. Results indicate that infants at psychosocial risk exhibited both more ext ernalizing and internalizing problems across ages than infants not at psych osocial risk, while no overall differences were apparent between normal- an d low-birthweight groups. With one exception, no interactions between biolo gical and psychosocial risk factors emerged, suggesting that their simultan eous effect is largely additive. Maternal responsivity was found to moderat e the effects of low birthweight on hyperkinetic and internalizing problems as well as to influence the consequences of family disadvantage on total p roblems. These findings stress the importance of early parenting in the beh avioural development of at-risk children.