What happens when mother is away: A comparison of mothers and substitute caregivers.

Compared maternal and substitute care in 2 groups of 5–6 mo old infants. Significant differences favoring maternal care were found in expression of positive affect, social play, social mediation of inanimate objects, and variety of both social and inanimate stimulation. Duration of regular contact between the infant and substitute caregiver was positively related to the substitute's caregiving behavior. Mother-reared infants engaged in significantly more focused exploration at home but were comparable to the substitute-care group on 16 other measures of infant functioning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)