What does this research mean for the field?

The Massage+ intervention significantly improves multiple dimensions of mother-infant synchrony, including affect, touch, and maternal engagement, in mothers with a history of childhood adversity. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

Determine whether the Massage+ intervention improves mother–infant behavioral and emotional synchrony among mothers who experienced childhood adversity.

September 3, 2026Developmental PsychologyOpen Access

The efficacy of Massage+ on mother–infant synchrony in mothers with childhood adversity: A randomized controlled trial.

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Authors

ABAleeca F. Bell RFRuth Feldman EBEdward J. Bedrick

Discussion

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Overview

Randomized trial reveals improved behavioral and affective synchrony in mothers with childhood adversity and their infants, suggesting enhanced maternal responsiveness to infant emotional cues.

Key Points

Determine whether the Massage+ intervention improves mother–infant behavioral and emotional synchrony among mothers who experienced childhood adversity.
Randomized controlled trial evaluating mother-infant dyads (N = 162) assigned to Massage+ or a control group.
Assessed co-occurring affect synchrony, touch synchrony, sequential synchrony, and latency to initiate synchrony during mother-infant interactions.
Massage+ dyads exhibited significantly greater co-occurring affect synchrony, touch synchrony, and maternal engagement during periods of elevated infant arousal compared with control dyads.
Intervention dyads demonstrated higher sequential synchrony and a significantly faster time-to-first initiation of synchrony.
In response to infant positive arousal, Massage+ dyads showed greater overall synchrony, faster maternal responsiveness, and more rapid settling into coordinated affective states.

Cite This Study

Bell et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9934cf636c6408cfa7c81e https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0002255

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September 3, 2026Developmental PsychologyOpen Access

The efficacy of Massage+ on mother–infant synchrony in mothers with childhood adversity: A randomized controlled trial.

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

ABAleeca F. Bell RFRuth Feldman EBEdward J. Bedrick

Discussion

Member takes

Overview

Randomized trial reveals improved behavioral and affective synchrony in mothers with childhood adversity and their infants, suggesting enhanced maternal responsiveness to infant emotional cues.

Key Points

Determine whether the Massage+ intervention improves mother–infant behavioral and emotional synchrony among mothers who experienced childhood adversity.
Randomized controlled trial evaluating mother-infant dyads (N = 162) assigned to Massage+ or a control group.
Assessed co-occurring affect synchrony, touch synchrony, sequential synchrony, and latency to initiate synchrony during mother-infant interactions.
Massage+ dyads exhibited significantly greater co-occurring affect synchrony, touch synchrony, and maternal engagement during periods of elevated infant arousal compared with control dyads.
Intervention dyads demonstrated higher sequential synchrony and a significantly faster time-to-first initiation of synchrony.
In response to infant positive arousal, Massage+ dyads showed greater overall synchrony, faster maternal responsiveness, and more rapid settling into coordinated affective states.

Cite This Study

Bell et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9934cf636c6408cfa7c81e https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0002255

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark