Behavioural features of infants with colic

Introduction. Infant colic is a common condition whose pathogenesis is thought to involve not only somatic but also psycho-physiological factors, particularly the infant’s temperament. Studying the behavioral characteristics of such infants is a relevant task within the biopsychosocial approach.

Aim. To conduct a comparative analysis of the temperament profile of infants with colic and healthy infants in their first year of life using the IBQ-R questionnaire to identify specific behavioral patterns.

Materials and methods. The study involved 30 infants (20 with colic and 10 healthy). Temperament was assessed using the Russian version of the IBQ-R (The Infant Behavior Questionnaire – Revised), comprising 191 items grouped into 14 scales and 3 overarching factors (Extraversion/Surgency, Negative Affectivity, and Orienting/Regulatory Capacity). Statistical analysis used Student’s t-test and the Mann-Whitney U test.

Results. Only one significant difference was found between the groups: the score on the Vocal Reactivity scale was significantly lower in infants with colic Me 3.0 and in infants without colic Me 5.5 (p = 0.023). No statistically significant differences were found for the three overarching temperament factors.

Conclusions. The presence of infant colic has a selective influence on temperament, manifesting as reduced spontaneous vocalization during daily interactions. This may be a compensatory response to frequent episodes of crying. These findings are important for the correct interpretation of the behavior of infants with colic and for developing recommendations for parents.

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