Impact of trajectories of maternal postpartum depression on infants’ socioemotional development

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND We assessed (a) the effects of postpartum depression (PPD) trajectories until 6 months postpartum on infants’ socioemotional development (SED) at age 12 months, and (b)

the mediating role of maternal self-efficacy (MSE), and the additional effect of postpartum anxiety at age 12 months. METHODS We used data from POST-UP trial (_n_ = 1843). PPD was assessed

using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at 1, 3, and 6 months. Infants’ SED was assessed at 12 months using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire-Social-Emotional (ASQ-SE).

Structural equations were applied to estimate the effect of PPD trajectories on infants’ SED and mediation by MSE. The additional effects of postpartum anxiety were assessed with conditional

regression. RESULTS Higher levels of PPD over time were associated with a lower SED (coefficient for log-EPDS 3.5, 95% confidence interval 2.8; 4.2, e.g., an increase in the EPDS score from

9 to 13 worsens the ASQ-SE by 1.3 points). About half of this relationship was mediated by MSE. Postpartum anxiety had an independent adverse effect on SED. CONCLUSIONS PPD and postpartum

anxiety have a negative impact on infants’ SED. MSE as a mediator may be a potential target for preventive interventions to alleviate the negative effects of maternal psychopathology on

infants’ SED. IMPACT * The trajectories of postpartum depression (PPD) from 1 month to 6 months were negatively related to infants’ socioemotional development (SED) at age 12 months,

underlining the importance of repeated assessment of PPD. * Maternal self-efficacy (MSE) mediated the association between PPD and SED, implying MSE could be a potential target for preventive

interventions. * An additional independent negative effect of postpartum anxiety was identified, implying the assessment of postpartum anxiety also has a surplus value to identify mothers

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support SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MATERNAL POSTPARTUM DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS, SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS, AND BIRTH OUTCOMES WITH INFANT GROWTH IN SOUTH AFRICA

Article Open access 07 April 2023 PERINATAL MATERNAL DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND RISK OF BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS AT FIVE YEARS Article 31 August 2021 ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN POSTPARTUM PAIN, MOOD, AND

MATERNAL–INFANT ATTACHMENT AND PARENTING OUTCOMES Article Open access 24 October 2022 DATA AVAILABILITY Data for the current study is not publicly available. Reasonable requests for data can

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aetiological mechanisms of common psychiatric disorders. _Clin. Epigenetics_ 7, 1–13 (2015). Google Scholar  Download references FUNDING Funding Funded by the Netherlands Organization for

Health Research and Development (grant number 80-82470-98-012). AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Department of Health Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University

of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands Gireesh Kumar Subbiah, Sijmen A. Reijneveld, Josué Almansa & Marlou L. A. de Kroon * Department of Psychiatry,

Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands Catharina A.

Hartman * Netherlands School of Public and Occupational Health, P.O. Box 20022, 3503 LA, Utrecht, the Netherlands Angarath I. van der Zee-van den Berg * Department of Health Technology and

Services Research, Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE, Enschede, the Netherlands Magda M. Boere-Boonekamp * Department of Public Health and Primary Care,

Environment and Health, KU Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35, P.O. Box 7001, 3000, Leuven, Belgium Marlou L. A. de Kroon Authors * Gireesh Kumar Subbiah View author publications You can also search

for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Sijmen A. Reijneveld View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Catharina A. Hartman View author

publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Angarath I. van der Zee-van den Berg View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google

Scholar * Magda M. Boere-Boonekamp View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Josué Almansa View author publications You can also search for this

author inPubMed Google Scholar * Marlou L. A. de Kroon View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar CONTRIBUTIONS G.K.S. drafted the initial

manuscript, carried out the data analyses and revised the manuscript. M.L.A.d.K. conceptualized and supervised the study, supervised the data analyses and reviewed and revised the

manuscript. S.A.R. and C.A.H. supervised the study, reviewed and revised the manuscript. J.A. carried out and supervised data analyses, and revised the manuscript. A.I.v.d.Z.-v.d.B. and

M.M.B.-B. conceptualized and designed the _POST-UP_ trial, and coordinated and supervised data collection, and critically reviewed the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the

final manuscript as submitted and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work. CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Correspondence to Gireesh Kumar Subbiah. ETHICS DECLARATIONS COMPETING INTERESTS

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Subbiah, G.K., Reijneveld, S.A., Hartman, C.A. _et al._ Impact of trajectories of maternal postpartum depression on infants’ socioemotional development. _Pediatr Res_ 96, 519–524 (2024).

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-023-02697-w Download citation * Received: 21 March 2023 * Accepted: 27 May 2023 * Published: 19 June 2023 * Issue Date: July 2024 * DOI:

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