Impact of maternal depressive symptoms on the development of infant temperament: Cascading effects during the first year of life

Silvia Rigato,Karla Holmboe,Manuela Stets,Arielle Bonneville‐Roussy

doi:10.1111/sode.12448

Abstract

AbstractMaternal depression is associated with a range of child development outcomes, including difficult temperament. This longitudinal study investigated whether depressive symptoms (DS) that mothers experience after childbirth predict infant negative affect (NA), as well as potential effects of infant NA on maternal DS, across the first year of life. In the study (N = 63), questionnaires (the Beck Depression Inventory Second Edition, and the Infant Behavior Questionnaire–Revised Very Short Form) were administered at 2 weeks, 4, 6, and 9 months after birth. Using path analysis, we tested five different models that could explain the relationship between maternal DS and infant NA. The best‐fitting model showed that the days immediately following childbirth represent an important time for the development of infant temperament as maternal mood significantly predicts infant NA for at least 4 months after birth. This does not constitute a single sensitive period; a new predictive effect emerges around 4 months of age, suggesting cascading influences of maternal DS across the first 6 months of life. These results suggest a need for support, should a mother experience DS, not only immediately after birth, but also throughout the early stages of parenting.

Highlights

Between 11 and 29% of women experience depression and/or stress during pregnancy or after giving birth (Howard et al, 2014; Priest, Austin, Barnett, & Buist, 2008; Weisman et al, 2010)
Infants of depressed mothers display less social engagement, more gaze aversion, atypical gaze synchrony, and less emotional buffering from maternal presence (Beebe et al, 2008; Feldman et al, 2009; Granat et al, 2017). These findings clearly suggest a link between maternal depressive symptoms (DS) and infant negative affect (NA), and point to some of the potential mechanisms underlying this association
At present, knowledge is limited regarding the very earliest interactions between maternal DS and infants’ development and expression of their own negative emotions. This is partly due to the lack of studies investigating the effect of maternal depression longitudinally, that is, not just at birth or at a single time point during infancy, but repeatedly across the first year to establish the timing of effects

Summary

| INTRODUCTION

Between 11 and 29% of women experience depression and/or stress during pregnancy or after giving birth (Howard et al, 2014; Priest, Austin, Barnett, & Buist, 2008; Weisman et al, 2010). In terms of infant-driven effects, Cutrona and Troutman (1986) presented evidence from a general population sample for a model whereby difficult infant temperament, characterized by intense crying, lack of soothability, and unpredictability, increased the risk of depression in the mother 3 months postpartum. At present, knowledge is limited regarding the very earliest interactions between maternal DS and infants’ development and expression of their own negative emotions This is partly due to the lack of studies investigating the effect of maternal depression longitudinally, that is, not just at birth or at a single time point during infancy, but repeatedly across the first year to establish the timing of effects. Based on the evidence showing bi-directional and transactional influences between mother and

| Participants

Months

Weeks 4 Months 6 Months 9 Months

Findings

| DISCUSSION