Research Abstracts and Powerpoint

Kalita, K. N. (2010). Developmental profile of infants born to mothers with postpartum depression and anxiety: A comparative study. Journal of Indian Association for Child and Adolescent Health, 6(1), 3-12.

Abstract

An initial study assessed 100 women for depression and anxiety in postpartum period by using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the ICD-10 criteria. Ten mother-infant pairs were then selected to participate in a study to analyze potential effects for the mothers’ developing infants. In the follow up study, the mother infant pairs were administered the Scales/Developmental Profile Infant Toddler Checklist at 6 months of age. The results suggested a significant correlation between an infant’s cognitive as well as physical development and the mother’s experiences with postpartum depression and anxiety. Infants with mother’s who struggled with extensive depression demonstrated little weight gain over time. The same infants showed lower scores in the areas of social-emotional, speech, and symbolic development in comparison to infants whose mothers had no symptoms of depression. Early care providers and educators need to understand how mothers’ depression can potentially impact their infants’ early developmental outcomes and this in turn, warrants the need for early intervention.