Brief report: Benevolent childhood experiences, parental toxic stress, and maternal emotional reaction to infant crying

Abstract

Infant crying elicits varied parental responses. While maternal stress has been associated with increased frustration in response to crying, early positive experiences may foster child-oriented reactions. This study explored the links between Benevolent Childhood Experiences (BCEs), parental toxic stress, and maternal emotional reactions to crying. The sample included 95 mothers with infants aged 9 to 15 months. Maternal responses were assessed using the My Emotions Questionnaire (Leerkes & Qu in Infant Mental Health Journal, 41(1), 94-107, 2020). Mothers also completed the Benevolent Childhood Experiences Scale (Narayan et al. in Child Abuse & Neglect, 78, 19–30, 2018) and the Functional Impact of Toxic Stress for Parents (Moreno et al. Children and Youth Services Review, 131, 106280, 2021) to measure BCEs and toxic stress, respectively. Contrary to the hypothesis, BCEs were not significantly linked to child-centered emotions. Parental toxic stress emerged as a significant predictor of maternal anxiety and frustration in response to crying. While this exploratory studied provided valuable insights, more research on the mechanism underlying reactions to crying is warranted.