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Cadernos de Pós-Graduação em Distúrbios do Desenvolvimento

Print version ISSN 1519-0307On-line version ISSN 1809-4139

Abstract

ISCAIFE, Amanda Beretta et al. The association between symptoms of postpartum depression and quality of mother-infant attachment relationship. Cad. Pós-Grad. Distúrb. Desenvolv. [online]. 2020, vol.20, n.1, pp. 158-175. ISSN 1519-0307.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5935/cadernosdisturbios.v20n1p158-175.

The literature has shown that postpartum depression may significantly compromise the development of early mother-infant affective bonding. The present work aimed to examine the association between mothers' report of postpartum depression symptoms and the quality of mother-infant early attachment relationship. Participants were 23 mothers whose infants were six months to one year of age. Mothers completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale. A significant negative correlation emerged between maternal postpartum depression symptoms and the quality of mother-infant affective bonding (-0,68; p < 0,001). More specifically, the study showed that more postpartum depression symptoms were related to less acceptance (-0,59; p = 0,003) and tolerance (-0,44; p = 0,035) from the mother towards the baby, and lower sense of competence (-0,59; p = 0,003) reported by the mothers. The findings are consistent with previous studies showing that depressed mothers in the postpartum period may exhibit more difficulties in establishing high quality attachment relationships with their infants.

Keywords : Postpartum depression; Mother-infant relationship; Attachment; Infant development.

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