Racine, NicolePillai Riddell, RebeccaFlora, DavidGarfield, HartleyGreenberg, Saul2018-04-042018-04-042012Racine, N., Pillai Riddell, R., Flora, D., Garfield, H., & Greenberg, S. (2012). A longitudinal examination of verbal reassurance during infant immunization: Occurrence and examination of emotional availability as a potential moderator. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 37(8), 935-944. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy-jss066doi: 10.1093/jpepsy-jss066http://hdl.handle.net/10315/34448OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the associations between caregiver verbal reassurance and infant pain-related distress during immunization over the first year of life. The relationships between verbal reassurance and caregiver emotional availability (EA) were also examined. Finally, EA was investigated as a moderator of the relationship between verbal reassurance and infant pain. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted with 606 infants (and their parents) at 4 different ages (n = 376 at 2 months, n = 455 at 4 months, n = 484 at 6 months, and n = 407 at 12 months). RESULTS: Verbal reassurance was positively associated with infant distress across all four ages. EA was only negatively related to verbal reassurance at 12 months of age. EA was not a significant moderator at any age. CONCLUSION: Findings demonstrate consistent but small relationships between verbal reassurance and infant pain over the first year of life.enThis is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Journal of Pediatric Psychology following peer review. The version of recordRacine, N., Pillai Riddell, R., Flora, D., Garfield, H., & Greenberg, S. (2012). A longitudinal examination of verbal reassurance during infant immunization: Occurrence and examination of emotional availability as a potential moderator. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 37(8), 935-944. is available online at: xxxxxxx doi: 10.1093/jpepsy-jss066verbal reassuranceinfant painimmunizationemotional availabilityArticle