Face-to-face interactions of postpartum depressed and nondepressed mother-infant pairs at 2 months (original) (raw)

1990, Developmental Psychology

Depression's influence on mother-infant interactious at 2 months postpartum was studied in 24 depressed and 22 nondepressed mothex-infant dyads. Depression was diagnosed using the SADS-L and RDC. In S's homes, structured interactions of 3 min duration were videotaped and later coded using behavioral descriptors and a l-s time base. Unstructured interactions were described using rating scales. During structured interactions, depressed mothers were more negative and their babies were less positive than were nondepressed dyads. The reduced positivity of depressed dyads was achieved through contingent resixmfiveness. Ratings from unstructured interactions were consistent with these findings. Results support the hypothesis that depression negatively influences motherinfant behaviol; but indicate that influence may vary with development, chronicity, and presence of other risk factors. Ten to 15% of postpartum women develop a moderate, clinically significant depressive reaction that is more prolonged than the "blues" and serious enough to interfere with daily functioning (O'Hara, Neunaber, & Zekosld, 1984). Postpartum depression is thus a potentially important mental health problem for families with young infants. Studies of depression in the postpartum period, however, have focused almost exclusively on the woman herself (see Hopkins, Marcus, & Campbell, 1984, for a review) and have ignored the possible negative effects depression may have on her relationship with her infant and her infant's development. Postpartum depression would be expected to interfere with optimal mothering. The importance of positive expression and responsive caretaking in early infancy has been well documented in numerous studies (e.g., Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, & Wall, 1978; Belsky, Rovine, & Taylor, 1984), whereas maternal insensitivity and unavailability have been associated with a range of difficulties in adaptation in infancy and early childhood (e.g., Sronfe, 1983). Recent studies have confirmed earlier clinical observations by Weissman and Paykel (1974) about the negative impact of maternal depression on young children's development. Research on the offspring of women with major depressive disorders has indicated a range of cognitive and social problems in toddlers, preschoolers, and school age children (Beardslee,