Maternal depression and sex differences shape the infants’ trajectories of cognitive development
Abstract
The effect of maternal depression on the trajectories of cognitive development was studied in 26 infants with depressed mothers as compared to a group of 24 infants with non-depressed mothers. The infants were tested on Mullen Scales of Early Learning when they were 6, 12 and 18 months old. Mothers reported their depressive symptoms over the follow ups. The study also investigated if there were sex differences in the cognitive trajectories. Multilevel modeling analyses revealed that infants of depressed mothers had a stable lower cognitive score over the period 6-18 months of age as compared to the infants of non-depressed mothers, and that the girls tended to increase their cognitive scores as compared to the boys over the same time period. The results are discussed in light of the stability of depression symptoms over the follow up and sex differences in cognitive development.
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Infants of depressed mothers have a stable lower cognitive score over a 12-month period (6-18 months of age) compared to infants of nondepressed mothers.
“Infants of depressed mothers had a stable lower cognitive score over a 12-month period (6–18 months of age) compared to infants of nondepressed mothers.”
From Consequences of maternal postpartum depression: A systematic review of maternal and infant outcomes (2019) · cites this paper as [99]
Girls tend to show a greater increase in cognitive scores compared to boys over the same time period.
“Over the same time period, girls tended to show a greater increase in cognitive scores compared to boys.”
From Consequences of maternal postpartum depression: A systematic review of maternal and infant outcomes (2019) · cites this paper as [99]
Maternal depression is significantly related to the MSEL composite score.
“Maternal depression was significantly related to the MSEL composite score.”
From Consequences of maternal postpartum depression: A systematic review of maternal and infant outcomes (2019) · cites this paper as [99]
Many studies indicated significant and negative associations between maternal postpartum depressive symptoms and infant cognitive development, language development, infant behaviors, overall infant health concerns, and quality of sleep.
“Moreover, many studies indicated significant and negative associations between maternal postpartum depressive symptoms and infant cognitive development,94,95,99,101,102,107,141,147 language development,94,102,105,116,117,131,132,139 infant behaviors,49,52,110,114,120,121,131,133 overall infant health concerns,48,104,119,122–124,135,136,138 and quality of sleep.104,108”
From Consequences of maternal postpartum depression: A systematic review of maternal and infant outcomes (2019) · cites this paper as [99]
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Consequences of maternal postpartum depression: A systematic review of maternal and infant outcomes
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- Authors
- Azak, S.
- Affiliations
- University of Oslo (NO)
- Corresponding author
- Azak, Schale
- Venue
- Infant Behavior and Development
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2012-12
- Volume
- 35
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 803-814
- ISSN
- 0163-6383 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1980976124
- Cited by
- 48
- References
- 66
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 2
- FWCI
- 3.40
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Infant Behavior and Development (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Haridus- ja Teadusministeerium
- Helse Sør-Øst RHF (2007032)
- Helse- og Omsorgsdepartementet
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Infant Development and Preterm Care
- Keywords
- maternal depression, infant cognitive development, sex differences, Mullen Scales of Early Learning, maternal depressive symptoms, early childhood
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Child Development, Cognition, Depression, Female, Humans, Infant, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Mother-Child Relations, Mothers, Sex Characteristics, Depression, Postpartum
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