Maternal Behavioral Sensitivity and Childhood Emotional Abuse Predict Latent Growth Curves of Infant Negative Affect in the Still-Face Paradigm

A latent growth curve model of Still-Face Paradigm data from a longitudinal study of 119 mother-child dyads obtained good fit. Hypotheses received mixed support. Maternal sensitivity and childhood emotional abuse predicted the intercept and slope of infant negative affect, respectively, but were not associated with later externalizing behaviors.