Infants of depressed mothers show less “depressed” behavior with their nursery teachers

This study investigated whether infants' “depressed” behavior (i.e., less positive affect and lower activity levels) noted during their interactions with their depressed mothers generalized to their interactions with their nondepressed nursery teachers. Field et al. (1988) reported that infants of depressed mothers also show “depressed behavior” when interacting with nondepressed female adults, suggesting that the infants develop a generalized “depressed mood style” of interaction. However, in that study the adults were also strangers to the infants, confounding the results. In the present study, eighteen 3-month-old infants interacted with their depressed mothers and also with their nondepressed familiar teachers in 3-minute episodes. The infants' behavior ratings improved when they interacted with their familiar teachers compared to their interactions with their mothers. The infants' low activity levels and negative affect were specific to their interactions with their depressed mothers. Thus, the data suggest that the infants respond differentially to depressed and nondepressed adults who are familiar. Cette étude a examiné si le comportement “déprimé” des nourrissons (c'est-a-dire défini par un affect moins positif et des niveaux d'activité plus bas) noté durant les interactions avec leurs mères déprimées se généralisaient à leurs interactions avec leurs puéricultrices non déprimées. Field et al. (1988) ont établi que les nourrissons de mères déprimées font aussi preuve d'un “comportement déprimé” durant I'interaction avec des femmes adultes non déprimées, suggérant ainsi que les nourrissons développent un “style déprimée” d'interaction généralisé. Cependant, dans cette étude les adultes étaient aussi des étrangers aux enfants, ce qui a pu introduire quelque confusion dans les résultats. Dans I'étude que nous présentons 18 nourrissons de trois mois ont eu une interaction d'épisodes de 3 minutes avec leur mère déprimée et leur puéricultrice non déprimée. Quand on les compare aux interactions avec leurs mères, les scores de comportement des nourrissons se sont améliorés durant I'interaction des nourrissons avec leur puéricultrice habituelle. Les niveaux d'activité bas et l'affect négatif étaient spécifiques à leurs interactions avec leurs mères déprimées. Les données suggèrent donc que les nourrissons répondent différemment aux adultes déprimés et non déprimés s'ils leur sont familiers.

Affect (linguistics) · Depressed mood · Developmental psychology · Mood · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Clinical Psychology · Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum · Psychology

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  Open Access•Giana B Frizzo, César Augusto Piccinini•Psicologia em Estudo•2005

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• Depressão materna e a interação triádica pai-mãe-bebê

  Open Access•Giana B Frizzo, César Augusto Piccinini•Psicologia Reflexão e Crítica•2007

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• Effects of Severely Disturbed Parents on Early Parent-Infant Interaction

  Christiane Ludwig‐körner, Christiane Ludwig-Körner•International Forum of…•1999

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  Open Access•Tiffany Field, Tiffany M Field et al.•Infant Mental Health Journal•1999

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  Judith Rich Harris•Developmental Psychology•2000

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  Open Access•Lenore Sawyer Radloff•Applied Psychological Measurement•1977

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