TABLE 1.
Maternal Behavior Codes and Sensitivity Ratings Based on Concurrent Infant Affect
| Sensitivity Rating If: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infant Affect | ||||
| Maternal Behavior | Description | Positive | Neutral | Negative |
| Negative | directs negative affect toward the infant | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Intrusive | forces own agenda on the infant | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Mismatched affect | affect is incongruent with infant’s | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Withdraw | mother abruptly moves away or ends interaction with infant |
1 | 2 | 1 |
| Distracted | uninvolved or minimally involved with infant |
1 | 2 | 1 |
| Persistent ineffective |
continues to respond to infant in same ineffective manner when alternative responses are available |
2 | 2 | 2 |
| Monitor | watches infant/situation without intervening |
2 | 3 | 1 |
| Task focused | engages with infant focusing on the arousing task |
3 | 3 | 1 |
| Calming | soothes infant physically or vocally | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Supportive | maintains the infant’s attention on the task while simultaneously calming infant |
3 | 3 | 3 |
| Non-task focused engagement |
plays with or distracts the infant without using the arousing task |
3 | 3 | 3 |
| Routine care | engages in practices like wiping nose, straightening clothing |
3 | 3 | 1 |
Note. Infant positive affect is a rating of 1, 2, or 3, neutral is 4, and negative is a rating of 5, 6, or 7. A detailed codebook is available on request.