POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION: A RISK FACTOR FOR INFANTS?

有证据表明，早期反应迟钝和麻木不仁的护理 婴儿期与社会和认知能力的障碍有关， 发展 母亲抑郁症，以悲伤为特征， 退缩和易怒似乎会干扰母性 并将幼儿置于发展风险之中。 女性产下 产后抑郁的人可能特别脆弱，因为 婴儿期被视为发展的关键时期， 母婴关系和掌握 环境 依恋理论预测， 抑郁的母亲会更不安全， 与环境。 然而，没有研究检查 幼儿依恋或掌握动机的前因 抑郁的母亲 我们目前正在进行一项纵向研究， 产后抑郁症对母婴发育的影响 关系 中产阶级，已婚，未生育的妇女， 产后抑郁症诊断标准的研究 在人口统计学变量上， 妇女 在2、4和6个月时观察妇女及其婴儿 在社会交往中。 持续时间，过程和严重程度 还评估了母亲的抑郁症。 我们寻求持续的资金 按照我们的样本，以评估掌握动机， 12个月时的附着质量。 我们期望早日 母婴相互作用的严重程度和持续时间 抑郁对婴儿依恋质量的预测作用 母亲，根据在奇怪情况下的行为来索引， 掌握动机，以坚持和兴趣为指标， 新奇的玩具 也有人认为，产后时期是一个时间， 增加患抑郁症的风险， 产后抑郁症的发作将更有可能经历 又一次怀孕后发作。 我们计划跟随 我们的样本通过第二个孩子的出生，为了 前瞻性地审视这些问题。 我们还将观察 第一、第二次母婴互动质量 以母亲为对照，并考虑到 情绪和儿童特征的并发。 最后，我们将跟踪 母亲抑郁的过程和第一次的调整 儿童从蹒跚学步到学龄前早期。

Evidence indicates that unresponsive and insensitive care in early infancy is associated with impairments in social and cognitive development. Maternal depression, characterized by sadness, withdrawal, and irritability, appears to interfere with mothering and place young children at developmental risk. Infants of women who are depressed postpartum may be especially vulnerable, since infancy is seen as a crucial time for the development of the mother-infant relationship and the motivation to master the environment. Attachment theory predicts that infants with depressed mothers will be less securely attached and less engaged with the environment. However, no studies have examined the antecedents of attachment or mastery motivation in infants of depressed mothers. We are currently engaged in a longitudinal study to examine the impact of postpartum depression on the developing mother-infant relationship. Middle-class, married, primiparous women who meet Research Diagnostic Criteria for Depression in the postpartum period are matched on demographic variables with non-depressed women. Women and their infants are observed at 2, 4, and 6 months during social interaction. The duration, course, and severity of maternal depression are also assessed. We seek continued funding to follow our sample in order to assess mastery motivation and quality of attachment at 12 months. We expect the quality of early mother-infant interaction and the severity and duration of maternal depression to predict the quality of the infants attachment to mother, as indexed by behavior in the Strange Situation, and mastery motivation, as indexed by persistence with and interest in novel toys. It also has been assumed that the postpartum period is a time of increased risk for depression and that women with a previous episode of postpartum depression will be more likely to experience another episode after a subsequence pregnancy. We plan to follow our sample through the birth of the second child, in order to examine these issues prospectively. We will also observe the quality of mother-infant interaction with first borns and second borns, using mothers as their own controls, and taking into account concurrent mood and child characteristics. Finally, we will track the course of maternal depression and the adjustment of the first child through toddlerhood and the early preschool years.