This study investigated whether infant crying had a deteriorating effect on mother's concentration level. Forty-five mothers (with infants below the age of one year) did a simple concentration task in three conditions: N = cries of a healthy full-term infant; A = cries of a brain-damaged infant; D = phased machine noise; all sounds of equal volume level. The sequence of conditions followed a Latin-Square Design.
Mother's concentration level was significantly lower in the two crying conditions as compared to the machine noise. Thus mothers' concentration ability seems to be negatively affected by infant crying.