Abstract
This study investigated the effects of a teaching and modeling intervention on the development of early reciprocity and maternal self-confidence between black low-income primiparous mothers and their newborn infants. The sample included 20 mothers who had an uneventful pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum course. Infants were healthy, full-term, singleton, and bottle-fed. Mothers in the experimental group received a teaching session in which the investigator discussed and modeled caregiver behaviors which elicit interactive behaviors and skills of the infant. State control, response to stress, motoric processes, and interaction processes were discussed. On pretest, no significant differences were found between the control and experimental groups on any variable. At posttest, statistically significant differences were found between the two groups on assessment of the mother-infant sensitivity scale. No significant differences were found between the treatment and the control groups on the Mother's Assessment of the Behavior of her Infant (MABI) or the Self-Confidence scores.