An infant or child’s temperament influences their behavior and the way they interact with others. Newer research suggests that maternal affection and environmental factors, including feeding method, can influence infant temperament. Researchers at the ACNC investigated how maternal factors (affection and psychiatric symptoms) and child factors (environment and early nutrition) affected child’s temperament for the first 6 years of life. Data on mothers’ ratings of child’s temperament, her own psychiatric symptoms, environmental stresses and family cohesion was collected in 504 mother‐child pairs. Having more psychiatric symptoms was significantly associated with higher environmental stressors, impaired family dynamics and higher temperament ratings of infants’ adaptability and mood. There were no lasting differences for temperament between feeding groups. However, some significant temporary increases in rhythmicity (regularity in pattern of habits) and adaptability (ability to adjust to new situations) were found between infants fed human milk and infants fed soy protein-based infant formula.
https://pubmed-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.libproxy.uams.edu/39228139/
