Infant emotional development adapts to distinct patterns of caregiver mental health and household dynamics

Caregiver mental health and the home environment influence emotional development, but it is unclear whether different patterns of these variables shape infant outcomes. To capture heterogeneity of infants’ proximal environments, we use latent profile analysis to examine how distinct patterns of caregiver psychological distress and variability in the home predict emotional regulation in 104 mother-infant dyads (M age = 6.4 months, 46% White; 31% Hispanic/Latino; 51% Male). Infants of mothers experiencing high psychological distress who were in homes with high physical stimulation (e.g., noise, activity) and temporal disorder (e.g., lack of routines) demonstrated lower negative affect and increased regulation during two stressor tasks. These findings indicate that emotional development may be adapted to the unique characteristics of infants’ proximal environments.