When soothing succeeds: Simulating a risk for repeated shaking in abusive head trauma in infants.

PURPOSE: To investigate the observation that perpetrators of abusive head trauma engage in repeated shakings because shaking "works" to quiet the infant.

METHODS: Sixty first-time parent couples individually cared for a programmable model infant in two consecutive 7-min trials. After six minutes of consolable followed by inconsolable crying, parents selected one of three soothing techniques. For trial one, parents were randomized to a "Successful" or "Failed" Soothing Condition. Whether the soothing technique was repeated after trial two was determined by the study investigators. Parents rated their frustration after each trial.

RESULTS: As hypothesized, parents were more likely to repeat a soothing technique that "worked" in trial one. Compared to fathers, mothers reported more frustration when soothing failed.

CONCLUSIONS: That caregivers were more likely to repeat a successful soothing technique converges with perpetrator confessions that crying cessation after shaking may be a reason why shaking is used repeatedly in response to crying.