The Impact of Perinatal Depression on Children's Social-Emotional Development: A Longitudinal Study.

Abstract

Objectives This longitudinal population study aimed to investigate if maternal depression at different time points during the perinatal period impacts children's social-emotional development at 2years of age. Methods Participants were women (n=1235) who gave birth at Akershus University Hospital in Norway. Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed by using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at pregnancy week 32 and at 8weeks and 2years postpartum, whereas children's social-emotional development at the age of 2years was assessed by using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social-Emotional. Bi- and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the linkage between maternal perinatal depression and children's early social-emotional development. Results Multivariate analyses showed that social-emotional problems in the child 2years after birth were strongly associated with maternal depression at pregnancy week 32 (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 3.4; 95% CI 1.4-8.0), depression at 8weeks postpartum (aOR 3.8; 95% CI 1.7-8.6), and with depression at both time points (aOR 3.7; 95% CI 1.5-10.1). Conclusion Findings indicate pre- and postnatal depression each bears an independent, adverse impact on children's social-emotional development.