Conditions of Continuity and Discontinuity in Infant Negative Emotionality: Newborn to Five Months

This study investigated infant and caregiving-environment variables associated with continuity and discontinuity in infant negative emotionality between the newborn period and 5 months of age. Comparisons were made between groups of infants who evidenced similar levels of crying as neonates but differed by 5 months of age. For initially high-crying infants, mother personality traits, marital quality, and infant variables measured neonatally discriminated stable from changing infants. Ratings of mother sensitivity and infant responsiveness made at 5 months of age also related to continuity and discontinuity in negative emotionality over the first 5 months.