Newborn Neurobehavior and the Development of Infant Mental Health

Newborn neurobehavior enables us to identify individual differences and temperament, differential susceptibility and to identify at-risk-infants. Neurobehavioral and biological (e.g., epigenetic) pathways set the stage for the “goodness-of-fit” between infant and caregiver manifest in dyadic interaction and mutual regulation. Preterm infants in particular struggle to develop mutual regulation because of the demands of internal/external stimulation. Changing caregiver behavior to better-fit infant neurobehavioral profiles in a dynamic repair-and-expand model can improve infant regulation and mental health.