The influence of attributions and acoustic characteristics of infant cries on perceptual responses of maltreating and comparison parents

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of cry pitch and attributions that crying infants had or had not been abused on the perceptual ratings of maltreating and comparison parents. Twenty maltreating parents and 20 comparison parents rated 12 cries which varied in the pattern of their fundamental frequency on (a) the cry's similarity to their own child's cry, (b) the likelihood that the crying infant would be abused in the future, (c) 5 perceptual items and (d) 7 caregiving response items. Attributions of whether the crying infant was "abused" or "not abused" were varied before each cry sound during the ratings of the perceptual and caregiving response items.

Results showed that as the pitch of the cries increased, all parents rated the cries' as less similar to their own infant's cries and the crying infants as more likely to be abused. Maltreating parents, however, rated mixed- and high-pitched cries as more similar to their own child's cries than comparison parents did. Generally, more sympathetic perceptions and responses were given to "abused" infants. However, perceptions of how "arousing" and "distressing" cries sounded were equally high for high-pitched "abused" and "not abused" infants' cries. Maltreating parents were more likely to "ignore" cries, and their ratings of urgency for mixed- and high-pitched cries were lower than comparison parents' ratings. The results are discussed within the framework of how children may contribute to the development of their own abuse or neglect.