Maternal posttraumatic stress disorder and infant developmental outcomes in a South African birth cohort study.
Open accessAbstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between maternal posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and infant development in a South African birth cohort. METHOD: Data from the Drakenstein Child Health Study were analyzed. Maternal psychopathology was assessed using self-report and clinician-administered interviews; and 6-month infant development using the Bayley III Scales of Infant Development. Linear regression analyses explored associations between predictor and outcome variables. RESULTS: Data from 111 mothers and 112 infants (1 set of twins) were included. Most mothers (72%) reported lifetime trauma exposure; the lifetime prevalence of PTSD was 20%. Maternal PTSD was significantly associated with poorer fine motor and adaptive behavior - motor development; the latter remaining significant when adjusted for site, alcohol dependence, and infant head-circumference-for-age z score at birth. CONCLUSION: Maternal PTSD may be associated with impaired infant neurodevelopment. Further work in low- and middle-income populations may improve early childhood development in this context. (PsycINFO Database Record
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In a South African cohort, maternal PTSD was found to be associated with impaired neurodevelopment in the infant.
“In a South African cohort, maternal PTSD was found to be associated with impaired neurodevelopment in the infant [16].”
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Breen, M. S., Wingo, A. P., Koen, N., Donald, K. A., Nicol, M., Zar, H. J., Ressler, K. J., Buxbaum, J. D., & Stein, D. J. (2018) · Brain, Behavior, and Immunity · doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2018.05.016 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Self-citationGulbicki, L. R., Fertig, M. R., Githaiga, J. N., Gwangqa, L., Kabel, K. E., Lee, J. H., Knight, L., O’Cleirigh, C., Psaros, C., & Stanton, A. M. (2026) · BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth · doi:10.1186/s12884-026-09006-3
- Authors
- Koen, N., Brittain, K., Donald, K. A., Barnett, W., Koopowitz, S., Maré, K., Zar, H. J., & Stein, D. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Cape Town (ZA)
- ORCID
- Venue
- Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy
- Published
- 2017-05
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 292-300
- ISSN
- 1942-9681 (ISSN-L)
- 1942-969X
- PMC
- PMC5461402
- OpenAlex
- W2611852125
- Cited by
- 33
- References
- 10
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 3.45
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- Psychological Trauma Theory Research Practice and Policy (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1017641)
- National Institute of Mental Health (1R21MH098662-01)
- National Research Foundation
- South African Medical Research Council
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
- Keywords
- infant brain development, infant motor development, adaptive behavior, maternal psychopathology, Drakenstein Child Health Study, low- and middle-income countries, alcoholism
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Child Development, Female, Humans, Infant, Male, Mother-Child Relations, Mothers, Pregnancy, Risk Factors, Socioeconomic Factors, South Africa, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Cohort Studies, Young Adult
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