2002 International International Biennial Scientific Meeting

POSTNATAL DEPRESSION, ATTACHMENT AND INFANT DEVELOPMENT: FINDINGS FROM AN AUSTRALIAN PROSPECTIVE STUDY

C McMahon*, B Barnett, N Kowalenko, and C Tennant

* Psychology Department, Macquarie University, Sydney

cmcmahon@med.usyd.edu.au

Objectives: This paper reports major findings of a prospective study of 120 mothers and infants which examined relations among postnatal depression, infant temperament, maternal working models of attachment and child outcomes in the second year of life.

Methods: Mothers and infants who had initially presented to Tresillian Family Care Centres Residential Unit with unsettled infants were invited to participate (along with their partners) in a longitudinal follow-up. Mothers were visited at home at 4 months (interviewed regarding depression using the CIDI); 12 months (Interviews: CIDI, Adult Attachment Interview) and attended for a developmental assessment and administration of the Strange Situation Procedure at 15 months. On all three occasions both mothers and fathers completed questionnaires regarding infant temperament and behaviour and parent adjustment.

Results: First, data will be presented on variables significantly related to diagnosis of postnatal depression (demographic variables, infant temperament, parental self-reports of attachment style, reports of childhood relations with own parents, defence styles, marital relationships and history of abuse and loss during childhood). Then the persistence of symptoms of anxiety and depression for both mothers and fathers will be examined in relation to parent reports of toddler temperament and behaviour problems, feelings of hostility toward the child, parenting stress and child mental and motor development. Finally, relations between persistent depression and the observed parent-child attachment relationship will be presented.

Conclusions: The need for interventions that address both maternal depression and the parent-child relationship will be discussed.