Premium
Calming cycle theory: the role of visceral/autonomic learning in early mother and infant/child behaviour and development
Author(s) -
Welch Martha G.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
acta paediatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/apa.13547
Subject(s) - medicine , developmental psychology , pediatrics , psychology
Results from a randomised controlled trial of Family Nurture Intervention (FNI) showed significantly improved maternal behaviours and infant neurodevelopment and behaviour through 18 months, including a significantly reduced risk for autism. Preliminary results from a pilot study of FNI in preschool children found significant reduction in adverse behaviour. Conclusion: Calming cycle theory proposes that early emotional behaviour is shaped by subcortical visceral/autonomic co‐conditioning between mother and infant. Two new constructs, emotional connection and visceral/autonomic co‐regulation , are defined within a functional Pavlovian conditioning framework and are theorised to be part of an evolutionarily conserved mammalian phenomenon first identified by Pavlov.