The parent-infant relationship has been found to influence children in the areas of social, emotional, and cognitive development. Unfortunately, the quality of this relationship can bring about either positive or negative developmental outcomes. My interests are currently focused on the less than optimal outcomes at risk for occurring within particular maternal populations such as teen mothers, depressed mothers, and HIV-infected mothers. Because negative characteristics associated with these mothers have been identified in the literature, and these negative characteristics are also associated with poor infant outcomes, there is clearly a need for interventions aimed at these populations.
