Infants with regulatory disorders: Approach/withdrawal behaviors during mother-child interaction

The relationship between regulatory disorders and mother-child interaction was examined with middle to upper-class, highly educated mothers and their 7 to 11 month olds. Mothers of regulatory-disordered infants (n = 11) did not treat their infants any differently than mothers of nonregulatory-disordered infants (n = 43). However, regulatory-disordered infants exhibited more verbal/physical protest behaviors in response to barely noticeable approaches and most approach types. In response to maternal approaches requiring a response, they exhibited more non-engagement or ignoring behaviors. Thus, regulatory-disordered infants did not always respond according to Schneirla's theory of approach and withdrawal (1957), which holds that we withdraw from high-level stimulation and approach low-level stimulation. This study also suggests that: (1) The affective component of regulatory disorders has the greatest impact on mother-child interaction; (2) Infants born at lower birthweights are at greater risk of having regulatory disorders; and (3) The Approach-Withdrawal Interaction Coding System (Doussard-Roosevelt, Porges, & Portales, 1995) is a useful and reliable clinical measure for identifying interaction problems.