The relationship of maternal perception and maternal behavior: a study of normal mothers and their infants.

Normal mothers of nine-month-olds generally perceived their infants' behavior accurately. However, where maternal perceptual distortions did occur, they were associated with less maternal responsiveness and greater interference. These correlated with the mothers' anxiety level and with infant sleep problems. Maternal expectations thus seemed to be translated into specific maternal behavior which may be of significance in the child's psychosocial adjustment.