ABSTRACT
Developmental psychologists once believed that mothers influenced their babies, but that the reverse was not true. Eventually, researchers discovered what now seems glaringly obvious; that babies bring quite a lot to the interaction, and could indeed be a major influence on their mothers’ emotional state. Infant temperament, in particular, has a substantial influence on mothers’ mental health. Temperament includes how much babies cry, how shy they are, how distractible, irritable, soothable, and active. Broadly defined, temperament is a behavioral style and characteristic way of responding to people and the environment.
