Mother–Infant Dyadic Synchrony and Interaction Patterns After Infant Cardiac Surgery.

This study investigates mother–infant dyadic synchrony and interactional patterns in infants with complex congenital heart disease (CHD) requiring cardiac surgery before six months of age, compared to typically developing infants in an Australian community sample. Using the Child-Adult Relationship Experimental (CARE) Index, the research found that 94% of mother–infant pairs affected by CHD exhibited "inept" or "high-risk" interactions, significantly higher than the 81% observed in controls, with lower maternal sensitivity and infant cooperativeness in the CHD group. Maternal traumatic stress at six months postpartum was identified as a key predictor of reduced dyadic synchrony among CHD-affected pairs, while infant clinical factors and maternal attachment styles were not significant predictors. The findings highlight pervasive relational difficulties following pediatric cardiac surgery and support recommendations for routine observational assessment and trauma-informed, family-centered interventions in congenital cardiac care and early childhood settings.