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Bang: Infants' Temperament and Health Problems according to Maternal Postpartum Depression
Original Article
Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing

Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing 2011; 41(4): 444-450.

Published online: 31 August 2011

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2011.41.4.444

Infants' Temperament and Health Problems according to Maternal Postpartum Depression

Kyung-Sook Bang

Associate Professor, College of Nursing · The Research Institute of Nursing Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Bang, Kyung-Sook. College of Nursing, Seoul National University, 28 Yeongeon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-799, Korea. Tel: +82-2-740-8819, Fax: +82-2-765-4103, ksbang@snu.ac.kr

Received 19 January 2011       Accepted 4 August 2011

© 2011 Korean Society of Nursing Science

Abstract

Purpose

Mothers' postpartum depression is a worldwide health concern that produces compromising effects on their infants. This study was conducted to compare the infants' temperament and health problems according to the presence of maternal postpartum depression.

Methods

Data were collected from May to October in 2009. The sample was 137 mothers at one month postpartum. The Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to assess depressive symptoms.

Results

At one month postpartum, 22.6% of mothers were classified as having postpartum depression. Infants of depressed mothers were more frequently classified as difficult temperament infants. They showed lower scores on the amenability, rhythmicity and persistency and higher scores on activity in temperament. Also, infants of depressed mothers reported more infant health problems at one months. Maternal depression showed significant negative correlations with family functioning, social support and marital satisfaction.

Conclusion

Study findings show that postpartum maternal depression is associated with infants' temperament and health, and thus screening and early interventions for postpartum depression would promote the health of both the mother and infant.

Keywords: Postpartum depression, Infant, Mothers, Temperament, Health

Figures and Tables

Table 1
General Characteristics (N=137)
jkan-41-444-i001
Table 2
Postpartum Depression Scores according to Participant's Characteristics (N=137)
jkan-41-444-i002
Table 3
Comparison of Infant's Temperament and Health Problems between Two Groups
jkan-41-444-i003

*Fisher's exact test.

Table 4
Relationships among Postpartum Depression, Marital Satisfaction, Family Functioning and Social Support (N=137)
jkan-41-444-i004

Notes

This work was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST) (KRF-2008-E00671).

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