Premium
Infant colic and maternal depression
Author(s) -
Maxted Aimee E.,
Dickstein Susan,
MillerLoncar Cynthia,
High Pamela,
Spritz Becky,
Liu Jing,
Lester Barry M.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
infant mental health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1097-0355
pISSN - 0163-9641
DOI - 10.1002/imhj.20035
Subject(s) - temperament , depression (economics) , medicine , infantile colic , depressive symptoms , mental health , psychiatry , pediatrics , psychology , personality , anxiety , crying , social psychology , economics , macroeconomics
The combined impact of infant colic and maternal depression on infant, parent, and family difficulties was examined. The sample included 93 consecutive patients seen at an outpatient Colic Clinic. Most mothers had private insurance and completed high school. Infants were approximately 2 months of age. Questionnaires completed by the mother prior to treatment onset were used to measure depressive symptoms in the mothers, infant cry, sleep and temperament, characteristics, parenting stress, maternal self‐esteem, social support, and family function. Moderate to severe depressive symptoms were reported by 45.2% of the mothers. More severe depressive symptoms in the mothers were related to fussy/difficult infant temperament, more parenting stress, lower parental self‐esteem, and more family‐functioning problems. Pediatric health care providers need to be aware that the combined effects of colic and maternal depression can be problematic for the family. ©2005 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.