Early mother?infant interaction, parental mental health and symptoms of behavioral and emotional problems in toddlers

Abstract

This study examined the associations of deviant features in early mother–infant interaction and parental psychopathology with symptoms of behavioral/emotional problems in the child 2 years later. Fifty mother–infant dyads were assessed in the study; mother–infant interaction was videotaped at infant’s 8–11 weeks of age, parental psychopathology was assessed by a structured diagnostic interview. At 2 years the symptoms of behavioral/emotional problems were investigated by CBCL questionnaires. The results suggest that the mother’s hostility and/or intrusiveness in early mother–infant interaction and parental psychopathology are related to and predict behavioral/emotional symptoms in the child but their influence varies. Father’s psychiatric problems predicted high internalizing, externalizing and total problem scores and mother’s psychiatric problems before the pregnancy predicted high externalizing scores in the child at 2 years. Mother’s hostility and/or intrusiveness in early mother–infant interaction predicted high externalizing and total problem scores.