Effects of parenting role identity, role position and infant care competence on infant motor development in Taiwan Birth Cohort Study: The mediation effect of parent-child interaction

Previous studies rarely focused on healthy infants' motor development, and national birth cohort studies in Taiwan were insufficient. It was known that parent-child interaction has significant influence on infant motor development, and the effect of mother-infant attachment on infants' development is stronger than father-infant attachment. However, the different mediation effects of mother-infant and father-infant interaction between perceived parenting role and infants' motor development were ambiguous. The purposes of the study were: (1) to understand healthy infants' motor development in Taiwan; (2) to investigate the effects of parenting role identity, position and infant care competence on infant's motor development; (3) to test the mediation effect of parent-child interaction. Data was derived from the 1st to the 3rd waves of the Taiwan Birth Cohort Study-Pilot Database. The infants were classified into two categories (complete / incomplete development) according to the developmental milestone. GEE and Random effects model were used to clarify the long-term effects, and Aroian test equation of the Sobel test were used to check the mediation effects. The rate of infants who complete development in 6 months was 30.30%, but the rates were higher in 18 and 36 months (80.01% and 90.59%, respectively). Mothers' perceived infant care competence was the most important factor of infants' motor development, and this was partially mediated through mother-infant interaction. However, father's perceived competence was completely mediated through father-infant interaction on the infants' motor development. In conclusion, the mother's perceived competence must be strengthened, and the father-infant interaction should be emphasized on a daily basis.