Infant temperament and maternal anxiety and depressed mood in the early postpartum period

Abstract

Although difficult infant temperament has been associated with maternal postpartum anxiety and depressed mood in later infancy, the emergence of this association in the early postpartum period has not been explored. In a survey study of 296 mothers of healthy term newborns during the first postpartum month, the relationship of infant temperament with maternal anxiety and depressed mood was explored. Maternal ratings of infant temperament were measured by the Early Infancy Temperament Questionnaire. Postpartum anxiety was measured by the State Scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and depressed mood by the Beck Depression Inventory. The State Scale and Beck Depression Inventory correlated positively with ratings of infant activity, rhythmicity, approach, distractibility, and overall temperamental difficulty. In addition, the State Scale correlated positively with ratings of adaptability and intensity. In regression analyses, controlling for other factors, ratings of overall temperamental difficulty were independently associated with both State Scale and Beck Depression Inventory scores. Associations of difficult infant temperament with maternal postpartum anxiety and depressive symptoms emerge early in the postpartum period. These associations are independent of other known contributors to postpartum mood.