Neonatal temperament, maternal interaction, and the need for "alonetime".

In one of a set of studies exploring the need for time alone throughout development, infant temperamental characteristics, their relation to infant needs for time alone, and maternal perceptions of these needs are examined via videotapings of the infants' signals of disengagement and engagement. Descriptive data based on three mother-infant dyads suggest that infants clearly signal their needs for rest and disengagement in the first eight weeks, and develop unique patterns of "alonetime" behavior that may be related in part to temperamental differences.