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Prenatal Maternal Anxiety and Depression Predict Negative Behavioral Reactivity in Infancy
Author(s) -
Davis Elysia Poggi,
Snidman Nancy,
Wadhwa Pathik D.,
Glynn Laura M.,
Schetter Chris Dunkel,
Sandman Curt A.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
infancy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.361
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 1532-7078
pISSN - 1525-0008
DOI - 10.1207/s15327078in0603_1
Subject(s) - anxiety , novelty , psychology , reactivity (psychology) , depression (economics) , pregnancy , postpartum depression , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , psychiatry , medicine , social psychology , genetics , alternative medicine , pathology , biology , economics , macroeconomics
The effects of maternal antenatal and postnatal anxiety and depression on infant negative behavioral reactivity were examined in a sample of 22 mother‐infant pairs. Maternal anxiety and depression were assessed by standardized measures during the third trimester of pregnancy and postpartum. Infant negative behavioral responses to novelty were assessed using a previously validated measure at 4 months of age. Maternal anxiety and depression during the prenatal, but not the postnatal period, were related to infant negative behavioral reactivity to novelty. These data illustrate that prenatal maternal psychological state can exert persisting influences on human infant behavior.