Stress Intensity and Exhaustion Among Infant and Toddler Teachers: Descriptive Analysis and Associations with Sources of Stress and Coping Strategy Use.

This study described infant/toddler teachers' (N = 106) perceptions of stress intensity and exhaustion (emotional, physical, mental) intensity. We examined the associations between stress and exhaustion and teachers' reports of stress sources and coping strategy use. Using ecological momentary assessment (EMA), teachers from Early Head Start (EHS), EHS childcare-partnerships, or independent childcare programs (midwestern U.S.) completed twice-weekly reports of: stress and exhaustion intensity; stress sources (workload, children's behaviors, personal life); and, coping strategies (support from colleagues, distraction, mindfulness techniques, reframing). Research Findings: Stress and exhaustion reports were similar to studies of preschool teachers. Workload and personal life stressors were associated with stress and all exhaustion types. Teachers used fewer than two different coping strategies/per reporting day. Only reframing was negatively associated with stress and emotional exhaustion. Teachers reported greater stress at end-of-week than beginning-of-week. Older teachers reported greater stress and emotional exhaustion. Although one-third of teachers reported ≥4 ACEs, early adversity was not associated with stress or exhaustion. Practice or Policy: We discuss the results relative to the sparse literature on infant/toddler teachers' well-being and suggest areas for professional development supports while underscoring the need for EHS federal policy makers and program administrators to consider how to reduce/streamline workload.

University-Community Partnerships to Support Responsive Caregiving: The Hearts and Minds on Babies Implementation Story.

Consistent, sensitive caregiving across home and childcare contexts supports optimal development. In this paper, we share the story of the development of Hearts and Minds on Babies (HMB) for Early Head Start (EHS) administrators, teachers, and parents. HMB was designed to support caregiver reflective functioning and sensitivity and reduce caregiver stress. This paper describes a series of Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles used to adapt an existing parenting intervention into the HMB programming for EHS. Throughout the paper, we present HMB concepts and learning objectives and share teachers' and parents' feedback and adaptations to content and delivery options that support implementation by EHS programs. Feedback from the final cycle suggests that HMB supports EHS administrators, teachers, and parents in their roles and improves relationships. The paper highlights the importance of research-practice partnerships in developing programming that meets the needs of EHS.

Characteristics of eating behavior profiles among preschoolers with low-income backgrounds: a person-centered analysis.

BACKGROUND: Individual differences in eating behaviors among young children are well-established, but the extent to which behaviors aggregate within individuals to form distinct eating behavior profiles remains unknown. Our objectives were to identify eating behavior profiles among preschool-aged children and evaluate associations with temperament and weight. METHODS: A secondary, cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from 2 cohort studies was conducted involving 1004 children aged 3-4 years and their parents with low-income backgrounds. Children's eating behaviors and temperament were assessed by parental report. Body mass index z-scores and weight status were calculated using measured heights and weights. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to generate profiles and bivariate analyses were used to evaluate associations with temperament and weight status. RESULTS: LPA revealed the presence of 3 eating behavior profiles among children. Children with High Food Approach profiles (21.2%) had lower temperamental inhibitory control and the highest percent of children with obesity relative to the other profiles. Children with High Food Avoidant profiles (35.6%) had lower temperamental impulsivity and lower BMI z-scores relative to the other profiles, whereas children with Moderate Eating profiles (intermediary levels of all behaviors; 43.2%) had higher temperamental inhibitory control and lower anger/frustration, than other profiles. CONCLUSIONS: Young children's eating behaviors appear to aggregate within individuals to form empirically distinct profiles reflecting food approach, food avoidance, and moderate approaches to eating that are differentiated by aspects of temperament and weight. Future work should seek to understand the extent to which health promotion and obesity prevention approaches should be tailored to take into account children's fundamental dispositions towards eating.

Supporting family meal frequency: Screening Phase results from the Simply Dinner Study.

We aimed to test main, additive, interactive effects, and feasibility of all possible combinations of six intervention components implemented for 8 weeks (Cooking/Serving Resources; Meal Delivery; Ingredient Delivery; Community Kitchen; Nutrition Education; Cooking Demonstrations). Primary outcomes were family meal frequency and preschoolers' dietary quality; secondary outcomes included family meal preparation type, meal preparation barriers, family functioning, and kitchen inventory adequacy. All possible intervention combinations were tested using a randomized factorial trial design in the first phase of a Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST). Feasibility was assessed via attendance, delivery logs, and satisfaction. Parent-reported data collection included: socio-demographics, frequency and type of family meals; preschooler dietary intake; perceived barriers to meal planning and preparation; assessment of family functioning; and a kitchen inventory of materials generally needed for meal preparation. Participants (n = 499) were recruited at two Head Start agencies in mid-Michigan with data collection and delivery of some intervention components in participants' homes. Promising intervention bundles were identified by evaluating pre-to post-intervention effect sizes. The combination of Cooking/Serving Resources and Meal Delivery increased family meal frequency (Cohen's d = 0.17), cooking dinner from scratch (d = 0.21), prioritization of family meals (d = 0.23), and kitchen inventory (d = 0.46) and decreased use/consumption of ready-made (d = -0.18) and fast foods (d = -0.23). Effects on diet quality were in the expected direction but effect sizes were negligible. Community Kitchen, Nutrition Education, and Cooking Demonstration showed poor feasibility due to low attendance while Ingredient Delivery was infeasible due to staffing challenges related to its labor intensity. Additionally, although not one of our pre-specified outcomes, Cooking/Serving Resources (RR = 0.74) and Meal Delivery (RR = 0.73) each decreased food insecurity. Cooking/Serving Resources combined with Meal Delivery showed promise as a strategy for increasing family meal frequency.

Rural-urban differences in body mass index and obesity-related behaviors among low-income preschoolers.

BACKGROUND: With one in eight preschoolers classified as obese in the USA, childhood obesity remains a significant public health issue. This study examined rural-urban differences in low-income preschoolers' body mass index z-scores (BMIz), eating behaviors, dietary quality, physical activity (PA) and screen time. METHODS: Pre-intervention data from 572 preschooler-parent dyads participating in a randomized, controlled obesity prevention trial in the Midwest USA were analyzed. We examined the associations among living in rural versus urban areas, child BMIz and child obesity-related behaviors, including eating behaviors, dietary quality, PA and screen time. RESULTS: Rural children had higher BMIz, more emotional overeating behaviors and more time spent playing outdoors compared with urban children. We found no associations between children living in rural versus urban areas and dietary quality and screen time. CONCLUSIONS: The study found that rural-urban differences in BMIz may start as early as 3-4 years of age, if not earlier. To reverse the weight-related health disparities between rural and urban low-income preschoolers, structural changes in rural locations and family supports around coping skills may be needed.

A pilot evaluation of the Building Early Emotional Skills (BEES) curriculum in face-to-face and online formats.

The Building Early Emotional Skills (BEES) parenting program is designed to promote parent-child relationships and more optimal social-emotional development by addressing four sequentially built skills in parenting infants/toddlers: (1) building parental awareness of emotions in self and child; (2) listening and interacting sensitively; (3) identifying and labeling emotions; and (4) intentionally supporting early self-regulation skills. BEES used an 8-session format delivered in online or face-to-face platforms (N = 264 female caregivers; n = 214 online, n = 50 face-to-face). Linear mixed modeling for pre-to-post changes showed significant increases in knowledge, emotion coaching beliefs, acceptance of negative emotions, and self-reported emotionally supportive responses to emotions; and, significant decreases in rejection of emotions, emotionally unsupportive responses, and parenting distress. Results suggested no differences in rate of change by program delivery type. Caregivers with more depressive symptoms showed greater improvement in their parenting distress. The BEES program may be a tool to support early positive parenting.

Call to action: Centering blackness and disrupting systemic racism in infant mental health research and academic publishing.

The Infant Mental Health Journal is committed to ending systemic racism and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in academic publishing. IMHJ unequivocally denounces all forms of racism and white supremacy, including systemic racism in academic publishing. We commit to investigating and working to terminate the ways in which systemic racism has become normalized in academic publishing, including examining our practices and processes at IMHJ. We invite you to join us in intentional, anti-racist work through your scholarship. As part of this effort, IMHJ has updated the author guidelines to include new information regarding how authors can express the ways in which they are engaging with intention in diverse, anti-racist research. These guidelines are available under the author guidelines section on the IMHJ website (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10970355). As a second immediate response relative to promoting diverse, equitable, and inclusive research, IMHJ is releasing the following Call to Action, focusing on centering Blackness in infant and early childhood mental health research. This call is designed as a first step in our efforts, and IMHJ looks forward to coming initiatives aimed at disrupting systemic racism in infant and early childhood mental health research for the many scholars studying and working with diverse populations marginalized by racism and systemic inequities.

La Revista de Salud Mental Infantil está comprometida a terminar el racismo sistémico y promover la diversidad, la equidad y la inclusividad en las publicaciones académicas. La Revista IMHJ censura categóricamente toda forma de racismo y supremacía de la raza blanca, incluyendo el racismo sistémico en publicaciones académicas. Estamos comprometidos a investigar y trabajar para erradicar los medios por los cuales el racismo sistémico se ha convertido en la norma en las publicaciones académicas, incluyendo el examinar nuestras prácticas y procesos dentro de la Revista IMHJ. Les invitamos a que se nos unan en nuestro esfuerzo intencional, antirracista, por medio de sus investigaciones profesionales. Como parte de este esfuerzo, la Revista IMHJ ha actualizado los parámetros para los autores para incluir nueva información acerca de cómo los autores pueden expresar de qué maneras están trabajando con intención en investigaciones diversas, antirracistas. Estos parámetros se encuentran disponibles bajo la sección de parámetros de autor en la página electrónica de la Revista IMHJ (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10970355). Como una segunda respuesta inmediata en relación con el fomento de la investigación diversa, igualitaria e incluyente, la Revista IMHJ presenta esta Llamada a la Acción, la cual se enfoca en centralizar la Negritud en la investigación de salud mental en infantes y la temprana niñez. Esta llamada está diseñada como un primer paso en nuestros esfuerzos y la Revista IMHJ anticipa próximas iniciativas dedicadas a poner fin al racismo sistémico en la investigación sobre salud mental en infantes y la temprana niñez para los muchos investigadores profesionales que estudian y trabajan con grupos diversos de población marginalizados por el racismo y las desigualdades sistémicas.

Le Infant Mental Health Journal s'engage à mettre fin au racisme endémique et à promouvoir la diversité, l'équité, et l'inclusion dans les publications académiques. L'IMHJ dénonce sans équivoque toutes les formes de racisme et de suprématie de la race blanche, y compris le racisme systémique dans les publications académiques. Nous nous engageons à déterminer comment le racisme systémique s'est normalisé dans les publications académiques et nous nous engageons à travailler à éradiquer cette normalisation ainsi qu'à examiner et à disséquer les pratiques et les processus de l'IMHJ. Nous vous invitons à nous rejoindre dans ce travail intentionnel, délibéré et anti-raciste à travers vos recherches. Dans cette optique l'IMHJ a mis à jour les directives pour les auteurs afin d'inclure plus d'informations sur la manière dont les auteurs peuvent exprimer les façons dont ils s'engagent délibérément dans des recherches diverses et anti-racistes. Ces directives sont disponibles dans la section « directives pour auteurs ¼ dans le site de IMHJ (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10970355). De plus, en tant que deuxième réaction immédiate liée à la promotion de recherches diverses, équitables et inclusives, l'IMHJ rend publique l'Appel à l'Action suivant, mettant l'accent sur la nécessité de centrer la condition noire dans les recherches sur la santé mentale du nourrisson et de la petite enfance. Cet appel est le premier pas de nos efforts et l'IMHJ attend avec intérêt les initiatives à venir se donnant pour but de contrecarrer le racisme systémique dans les recherches sur la santé mentale du nourrisson et de la petite enfance pour les nombreux chercheurs étudiant et travaillant avec des populations diverses marginalisées par le racisme et les inéquités systémiques.

A Person-Centered Approach to Child Temperament and Parenting.

The aim of this study was to examine how variations in children's temperamental reactivity and mothers' parenting stress relate to parenting behavior. A sample of 3,001 mother-child dyads was assessed when children were 14, 24, 36, and 54 months. Latent profile analysis identified a group of temperamentally "easy" children whose mothers experienced little parenting stress, along with two groups of highly reactive children differentiated by mothers' stress levels. Maternal negative regard over time was highest in the group of reactive children with highly stressed mothers. Mothers in this group also perceived more child behavior problems and had less knowledge of child development. Results are discussed relative to Person × Environment interactions and the complex interplay between parent and child characteristics.

Familial psychosocial risk classes and preschooler body mass index: The moderating effect of caregiver feeding style.

BACKGROUND: Early child weight gain predicts adolescent and adult obesity, underscoring the need to determine early risk factors affecting weight status and how risk factors might be mitigated. Socioeconomic status, food insecurity, caregiver depressive symptomology, single parenthood, and dysfunctional parenting each have been linked to early childhood weight status. However, the associations between these risk factors and children's weight status may be moderated by caregiver feeding styles (CFS). Examining modifiable factors buffering risk could provide key information to guide early obesity intervention efforts. METHODS: This analysis used baseline data from the Growing Healthy project that recruited caregivers/child dyads (N = 626) from Michigan Head Start programs. Caregivers were primarily non-Hispanic white (62%) and African American (30%). After using latent class analysis to identify classes of familial psychosocial risk, CFS was tested as a moderator of the association between familial psychosocial risk class and child body mass index (BMI) z-score. RESULTS: Latent class analysis identified three familial psychosocial risk classes: (1) poor, food insecure and depressed families; (2) poor, single parent families; and (3) low risk families. Interactive effects for uninvolved feeding styles and risk group indicated that children in poor, food insecure, and depressed families had higher BMI z-scores compared to children in the low risk group. Authoritative feeding styles in low risk and poor, food insecure, and depressed families showed lower child BMI z-scores relative to poor, single parent families with authoritative feeding styles. CONCLUSIONS: Uninvolved feeding styles intensified the risk and an authoritative feeding style muted the risk conferred by living in a poor, food-insecure, and depressed family. Interventions that promote responsive feeding practices could help decrease the associations of familial psychosocial risks with early child weight outcomes.

Externalizing behavior is prospectively associated with intake of added sugar and sodium among low socioeconomic status preschoolers in a sex-specific manner.

BACKGROUND: High intake of added sugar and sodium is a public health concern for preschool-aged children living in the US. Externalizing behavior may predict higher consumption of added sugar and/or sodium; however, previous studies have mostly been cross-sectional. The aim was to evaluate whether externalizing behavior is prospectively related to added sugar and intake in a sex-specific manner among preschoolers. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of 524 preschool children (48% male) from Michigan who participated in an obesity prevention trial that occurred during one school year from 2011 to 2015. Teacher-assessed externalizing behaviors and three 24-h dietary recalls were completed at baseline and follow-up. We used linear mixed effects regression to evaluate the association between externalizing behavior at baseline and added sugar (% of total Calories) and sodium intake (mg/1000 Calories) at follow-up. In adjusted analysis, we included baseline income-to-needs ratio, child race/ethnicity, and baseline overweight status. All models were adjusted for total energy intake and accounted for clustering by classroom. RESULTS: Baseline externalizing behavior was positively associated with added sugar intake at follow-up among boys; after adjustment for confounders, every 5 points lower externalizing T-score (corresponding to higher externalizing behavior) was associated with a 0.6 higher percentage of added sugar per total Calories (95% CI 0.2 to 1.1; P value = 0.004). In contrast, girls with higher levels of externalizing behavior had lower consumption of added sugars; after confounder adjustment, every 5 points lower externalizing T-score was related to 0.6 lower percentage intake (95% CI -1.0 to -0.1; P value = 0.01). Baseline externalizing behavior was inversely associated with sodium intake at follow-up among boys. After potential confounder adjustment, for every 5 points lower externalizing behavior T-score, there was a 22 mg/1000 Cal lower sodium intake (95% CI -45 to 1; P value = 0.06). In contrast, after adjustment for confounders, every 5 points lower externalizing T-score among girls was related to 24 mg/1000 Cal higher sodium intake (95% CI 1 to 46; P value = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Externalizing behavior among preschool-aged children was prospectively related to added sugar and sodium intake in a sex-dependent manner. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01398358 Registered 19 July 2011.

Effectiveness of differing levels of support for family meals on obesity prevention among head start preschoolers: the simply dinner study.

BACKGROUND: Despite slight decreases in obesity prevalence in children, nearly 25% of preschool-aged children are overweight or obese. Most interventions focused on promoting family meals as an obesity-prevention strategy target meal planning skills, knowledge and modeling of healthy eating without addressing the practical resources that enable implementation of family meals. There is a striking lack of evidence about what level of resources low-income parents need to implement family meals. This study will identify resources most effective in promoting family meals and, subsequently, test associations among the frequency of family meals, dietary quality and children's adiposity indices among children enrolled in Head Start. METHODS: The Multiphase Optimization Strategy, employed in this study, is a cutting-edge approach to maximizing resources in behavioral interventions by identifying the most effective intervention components. We are currently testing the main, additive and interactive effects of 6 intervention components, thought to support family meals, on family meal frequency and dietary quality (Primary Outcomes) as compared to Usual Head Start Exposure in a Screening Phase (N = 512 low-income families). Components yielding the most robust effects will be bundled and evaluated in a two-group randomized controlled trial (intervention and Usual Head Start Exposure) in the Confirming Phase (N = 250), testing the effects of the bundled intervention on children's adiposity indices (Primary Outcomes; body mass index and skinfolds). The current intervention components include: (1) home delivery of pre-made healthy family meals; (2) home delivery of healthy meal ingredients; (3) community kitchens in which parents make healthy meals to cook at home; (4) healthy eating classes; (5) cooking demonstrations; and (6) cookware/flatware delivery. Secondary outcomes include cooking self-efficacy and family mealtime barriers. Moderators of the intervention include family functioning and food security. Process evaluation data includes fidelity, attendance/use of supports, and satisfaction. DISCUSSION: Results will advance fundamental science and translational research by generating new knowledge of effective intervention components more rapidly and efficiently than the standard randomized controlled trial approach evaluating a bundled intervention alone. Study results will have implications for funding decisions within public programs to implement and disseminate effective interventions to prevent obesity in children. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clincaltrials.gov Identifier NCT02487251 ; Registered June 26, 2015.

Longitudinal pathways from early maternal depression to children's dysregulated representations: a moderated mediation analysis of harsh parenting and gender.

There is some evidence linking maternal depression, harsh parenting, and children's internal representations of attachment, yet, longitudinal examinations of these relationships and differences in the developmental pathways between boys and girls are lacking. Moderated mediation growth curves were employed to examine harsh parenting as a mechanism underlying the link between maternal depression and children's dysregulated representations using a nationally-representative, economically-vulnerable sample of mothers and their children (n = 575; 49% boys, 51% girls). Dysregulation representations were measured using the MacArthur Story Stem Battery at five years of age (M = 5.14, SD = 0.29). Harsh parenting mediated the association between early maternal depression and dysregulated representations for girls. Though initial harsh parenting was a significant mediator for boys, a stronger direct effect of maternal depression to dysregulated representations emerged over time. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for intervention efforts aimed at promoting early supportive parenting.

EXAMINING LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF AN INFANT MENTAL HEALTH HOME-BASED EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM ON FAMILY STRENGTHS AND RESILIENCE.

Infant Mental Health based interventions aim to promote the healthy development of infants and toddlers through promoting healthy family functioning to foster supportive relationships between the young child and his or her important caregivers. This study examined impacts of an Infant Mental Health home-based Early Head Start (IMH-HB EHS) program on family functioning. The sample includes 152 low-income families in the Midwestern United States, expectant or parenting a child younger than 1 year of age, who were randomly assigned to receive IMH-HB EHS services (n = 75) or to a comparison condition (n = 77). Mothers who received IMH-HB EHS services reported healthier psychological and family functioning, outcomes that are consistent with the IMH focus, when their children were between the ages of 3 and 7 years of age. Specifically, mothers in the IMH-HB EHS group reported healthier family functioning and relationships, better coping skills needed to advocate for their families, and less stress in the parenting role versus those in the comparison condition. The study also examined support seeking coping, some of which changed differently over time based on program group assignment. Overall, findings suggest that the gains families achieve from participating in IMH-HB EHS services are maintained after services cease.

Stability of biological father presence as a proxy for family stability: cross-racial associations with the longitudinal development of emotion regulation in toddlerhood.

The current study, utilizing data from the National Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project (Love et al., 2005) explored the relationship between biological father presence and emotion regulation over toddlerhood among children from low-income families. Conceptualizing biological father presence as a proxy for family role development, results are interpreted from a role development theoretical perspective. The latent growth curve model was compared based on child ethnoracial status (African American, Caucasian, Hispanic) and child gender. Consistent biological father presence was associated with toddlers' regulatory development across toddlerhood, and this relationship was most robust among Caucasian toddlers as compared to African American toddlers. Findings for Hispanic toddlers were not significantly different from those of Caucasian or African American families. Results bolster the literature on father presence and child outcomes. Analyses address consistency in father presence as a proxy for coherent role development and define a link between consistent father presence and children's regulatory development, demonstrating ethnoracial differences which are likely attributed to the social construction of family roles.

Optimizing health services for young children in poverty: enhanced collaboration between Early Head Start and pediatric health care.

Given the importance of health to educational outcomes, and education to concurrent and future health, cross-systems approaches, such as the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) framework, seek to enhance services typically in K-12 settings. A major gap exists in cross-systems links with early care and education serving children birth to age 5. Both pediatric health systems and early family and child support programs, such as Early Head Start (EHS) and Head Start (HS), seek to promote and optimize the health and wellbeing of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and their families. Despite shared goals, both EHS/HS and pediatric health providers often experience challenges in reaching and serving the children most in need, and in addressing existing disparities and inequities in services. This paper focuses on infant/toddler services because high-quality services in the earliest years yield large and lasting developmental impacts. Stronger partnerships among pedicatric health systems and EHS programs serving infants and toddlers could better facilitate the health and wellbeing of young children and enhance family strengths and resilience through increased, more intentional collaboration. Specific strategies recommended include strengthening training and professional development across service platforms to increase shared knowledge and terminology, increasing access to screening and services, strengthening infrastructure and shared information, enhancing integration of services, acknowledging and disrupting racism, and accessing available funding and resources. Recommendations, including research-based examples, are offered to prompt innovations best fitting community needs and resources.

Food patterns and mealtime behaviors in low-income mothers and toddlers.

Maternal and/or child-feeding behaviors and food choices may be important contributors to childhood obesity. We aimed to compare food patterns and mealtime behaviors and to determine predictors of frequent intake of nutrient-dense and energy-dense foods of low-income African American (AA; n = 199) and non-Hispanic White (NHW; n = 200) mother-toddlers dyads using a cross-sectional study. Energy-dense foods were consumed frequently by AA than NHW mother-toddler dyads. Mealtime TV watching for AA and being single for NHW mothers predicted toddlers' frequency of nutrient-dense food intake. These findings have implications for culturally relevant interventions aimed at obesigenic food behavior in low-income parents of toddlers.

Risks and resources for college students' mental health: ACEs, attachment, and mindfulness.

Objective: To examine associations between risks and resources in predicting college students' depressive symptoms at the beginning of one semester and change over the semester. Participants: Participants were undergraduate students taking human development courses at one of 11 universities in the U.S. (N = 854). Methods: Survey data were collected at the beginning and end of the semester. Results: Experiencing more direct abusive or neglectful adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and attachment preoccupation were associated with higher depressive symptoms at the beginning of the semester. Conversely, greater mindful awareness and attachment security were associated with lower initial depressive symptoms. Experiences of ACEs were associated with increases in depressive symptoms, as were higher levels of attachment dismissiveness. Greater mindful acceptance was associated with decreases in depressive symptoms. In most analyses, resources did not moderate the associations between ACEs and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Results may inform instructors and counselors in supporting students' well-being.

Relationships reduce risks for child maltreatment: Results of an experimental trial of Infant Mental Health Home Visiting.

Background: Research examining the effectiveness of home visiting programs that reduce child maltreatment or associated risks yield mixed findings; some find positive significant impacts on maltreatment, whereas others find small to no effects. The Michigan Model of Infant Mental Health Home Visiting (IMH-HV) is a manualized, needs-driven, relationship-focused, home-based intervention service that significantly impacts maternal and child outcomes; the effect of this intervention on child maltreatment has not been sufficiently evaluated. Objective: The current study examined associations between treatment and dosage of IMH-HV and child abuse potential in a longitudinal, randomized controlled trial (RCT). Participants and setting: Participants included 66 mother-infant dyads (Mother M age = 31.93 years at baseline; child M age = 11.22 months at baseline) who received up to 1 year of IMH-HV treatment (Mdn = 32 visits) or no IMH-HV treatment during the study period. Methods: Mothers completed a battery of assessments including the Brief Child Abuse Potential Inventory (BCAP) at baseline and at the 12-month follow-up assessment. Results: Regression analyses indicated that after controlling for baseline BCAP scores, those who received any IMH-HV treatment had lower 12-month BCAP scores compared to those who received no treatment. Additionally, participation in more visits was associated with lower child abuse potential at 12 months, and a reduced likelihood of scoring in the risk range. Conclusion: Findings suggest that greater participation in IMH-HV is associated with decreased risk for child maltreatment 1 year after initiating treatment. IMH-HV promotes parent-clinician therapeutic alliance and provides infant-parent psychotherapy which differentiate it from traditional home visiting programs.