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Cardiac patterns during another infant's cry sound in neonates of depressed mothers

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Date Issued:
2013
Summary:
Past research indicates there is a link between physiological responses and adaptive social responses to another individual's distress. Scholars have theorized that humans may be predisposed, both physiologically and behaviorally to responding to others, especially those who are in distress. Maternal depression has been associated with dysregulated emotional development and may possibly affect the physiological and behavioral responses of a neonate. The present research examined the relationship between neonates' physiological and behavioral responses to naturally generated (compared to artificial) stimuli of other neonates, as well as the role of maternal depression in the responses. Specifically, heart rate, heart period, and heart period variability were measured to assess the newborns' reaction to cries generated by both other newborns and digitally modulated sources. This study found that newborns of depressed mothers had higher heart period variability and showed less behavioral distress when hearing the cry of another infant.
Title: Cardiac patterns during another infant's cry sound in neonates of depressed mothers.
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Name(s): Cotler, Joseph
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Department of Psychology
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Issued: 2013
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Physical Form: electronic
Extent: vi, 43 p. : ill. (some col.)
Language(s): English
Summary: Past research indicates there is a link between physiological responses and adaptive social responses to another individual's distress. Scholars have theorized that humans may be predisposed, both physiologically and behaviorally to responding to others, especially those who are in distress. Maternal depression has been associated with dysregulated emotional development and may possibly affect the physiological and behavioral responses of a neonate. The present research examined the relationship between neonates' physiological and behavioral responses to naturally generated (compared to artificial) stimuli of other neonates, as well as the role of maternal depression in the responses. Specifically, heart rate, heart period, and heart period variability were measured to assess the newborns' reaction to cries generated by both other newborns and digitally modulated sources. This study found that newborns of depressed mothers had higher heart period variability and showed less behavioral distress when hearing the cry of another infant.
Identifier: 849647442 (oclc), 3360769 (digitool), FADT3360769 (IID), fau:4086 (fedora)
Note(s): by Joseph Cotler.
Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013.
Includes bibliography.
Mode of access: World Wide Web.
System requirements: Adobe Reader.
Subject(s): Heart sounds
Auscultation
Human physiology
Depression in children -- Prevention
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3360769
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU