Prenatal symptoms of anxiety and depression associated with sex differences in both maternal perceptions of one year old infant temperament and researcher observed infant characteristics

Autor: Jemima Kelleher, S.H.M. van Goozen, Katrina A. Savory, Rosalind M. John, Samantha M. Garay, Anna B. Janssen, Katie Daughters, Lorna Sumption
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2020
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Affective Disorders
ISSN: 1573-2517
0165-0327
Popis: Highlights • Maternal perceptions of temperament influenced by mood and infant gender. • Mood affected mothers report poor bonding and difficulties in daughters, not sons. • Researchers observe minimal difficulties in girls exposed to maternal symptoms. • Researchers observe language delay and temperament issues in exposed boys. • Maternal perceptional biases may blind mothers to problems in their sons.
Background Sex differences in the behaviour of children exposed to prenatal maternal depression and anxiety have been reported. This study compared depression and anxiety symptoms reported by mothers at term with maternal perceptions of one year old male and female infant temperament and with researcher observed infant characteristics, identifying differences for males and females with both approaches. Methods Infant behaviour and temperament was assessed via maternally completed questionnaires including Infant Behavioural Questionnaire Revised – Short form and by researcher administered subcomponents of Laboratory Temperament Assessment Battery and Bayley Scales of Infant Development III. Results For female infants, higher prenatal scores for depression and anxiety were associated with maternal perceptions of lower bonding, higher aggression and negativity, and lower soothability (n = 67 mother-infant dyads). In the laboratory assessment, intensity of escape was the only female infant factor significantly associated with maternal mood (n = 41). For male infants, there was minimal association between prenatal mood scores and maternal perceptions (n = 46) whereas in the laboratory assessment (n = 35) depression scores were associated with expressive language, facial interest and facial fear while anxiety scores were associated with expressive and receptive language, parent behaviour and facial fear. Limitations Findings may be restricted to a single ethnicity or mode of delivery. Fewer infants attended the infant assessment. A laboratory setting may mask symptomatology in females. Conclusions Atypical maternal perceptions may present a barrier to the early identification of male infants impacted by maternal depression and anxiety.
Databáze: OpenAIRE