Antenatal Depression Influences on Negative Affectivity in 3 Month Old Infants Open Access

Abstract

Abstract
Antenatal Depression Influences on
Negative Affectivity in 3 Month Old Infants
By Matthew H. Rouse
This study sought to study the relationship between maternal depression experienced
during pregnancy and negative affectivity (NA) in their infants. Specifically, the goals of
the study were to investigate the timing of exposures to depression in pregnancy, as well
as to examine the relative contributions of exposures to antenatal and postnatal maternal
depression to infant negative affectivity. Participants were 80 primiparous women with a
history of a Major Depressive Episode prior to pregnancy and their three month-old
infants. Mothers were recruited by mid- pregnancy and assessed for depression monthly
until the infants reached three months of age. At three months postpartum, the mothers
completed the Infant Behavior Questionnaire - Revised (IBQ-R) and mother-infant
feeding and play interactions were observed. Infant negative affectivity was operationally
defined as the Negative Affectivity (NA) score of the IBQ-R and also observed negative
affect. Infants of mothers who were depressed in the second trimester, specifically, had
higher NA scores on the IBQ-R, d = 0.52. In regression analyses, mean antenatal BDI-II
scores significantly predicted IBQ-R NA scores (β = .39), while mean postnatal BDI-II
scores did not (β = -.03). Group comparisons showed that infants exposed to maternal
depression both antenatally and postnatally had significantly higher IBQ-R NA scores
than infants with no depression exposure, p = .03. These findings indicate that while
exposure to both antenatal and postnatal maternal depression is associated with worse
outcomes in infants, the antenatal exposure more strongly contributes to negative
affectivity. In addition, antenatal exposure might have its greatest impact when the
depression is during the second trimester of pregnancy.

Antenatal Depression Influences on
Negative Affectivity in 3 Month Old Infants
By
Matthew H. Rouse
B.A., Williams College, 1997
M.S.W., Barry University, 2004
Advisor: Sherryl H. Goodman, Ph.D.
A thesis submitted to the Faculty of the
James T. Laney School of Graduate Studies of Emory University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Arts
in Psychology
2011

Table of Contents

Table of Contents Introduction 2 Method 21 Results 29 Discussion 40 Table 1. Infant Negative Activity by Maternal Depression Group in Pregnancy and by Trimester63 Table 2. Intercorrelations Among Indices of Maternal Depression and Infant Negative Affectivity64 Table 3. Summary of Hierarchical Regression Analysis for Maternal Depression Variables Predicting Infant Negative Affectivity65 Table 4. Infant Negative Activity by Maternal Anxiety Group in Pregnancy and by Trimester66 Table 5. Intercorrelations Among Indices of Maternal Anxiety and Infant Negative Affectivity67 Table 6. Summary of Hierarchical Regression Analysis for Maternal Anxiety Variables Predicting Infant Negative Affectivity68 Figure 1. Mean relative duration of infant observed negative affect for infants with no depression exposure, only antenatal exposure, only postnatal exposure, and both exposures69 Figure 2. Mean IBQ-R NA scores for infants with no depression exposure, only antenatal exposure, only postnatal exposure, and both exposures70 Figure 3. Mean relative duration of infant observed negative affect for infants with no anxiety exposure, only antenatal exposure, only postnatal exposure, and both exposures71 Figure 4. Mean IBQ-R NA scores for infants with no anxiety exposure, only antenatal exposure, only postnatal exposure, and both exposures 72

About this Master's Thesis

Rights statement

• Permission granted by the author to include this thesis or dissertation in this repository. All rights reserved by the author. Please contact the author for information regarding the reproduction and use of this thesis or dissertation.

School	Laney Graduate School
Department	Psychology
Degree	MA
Submission	Master's Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Psychology, Clinical
Keyword	Pregnancy Maternal anxiety Negative affectivity Maternal depression
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Goodman, Sherryl H, Emory University
Committee Members	Rochat, Philippe, Emory University Lilienfeld, Scott O, Emory University

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