Influence of Infant Temperament on Treatment Outcomes Following Maternal Postpartum Depression Treatment

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the influence of infants' temperamental traits on outcomes for both infants and their birthing parents following postpartum depression (PPD) treatment Methods: In Study 1, we analyzed data from a cohort of 40 birthing parents and their infants affected by PPD. We investigated whether the distress to limitation subdomain of infant temperament influences the mother-infant relationship and maternal response to group cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) treatment for PPD. In Study 2, we examined the same 40 dyads with PPD and included a healthy control group. The control group was matched to the PPD group on infant age, sex, and socioeconomic status. Here, we explored the impact of infant fear on infant response to maternal CBT for PPD. To assess outcomes in preverbal infants, we employed physiological measurements including heart- rate variability (HRV) and frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA). In both studies, we measured infant temperament using maternal reports on the Infant Behavior Questionnaire–Revised Short Form. Results: In Study 1, higher infant distress to limitation was associated with less improvement in depressive symptoms and a decline in infant bonding immediately and three months after group CBT. In Study 2, findings indicated a significant post- intervention increase in infant HRV, which persisted for three more months. Furthermore, negative correlations were identified between baseline infant fear and changes in HRV, suggesting that infants exhibiting higher levels of fear derived less benefit from maternal PPD treatment. Although FAA exhibited a leftward shift post-treatment for up to three months, no correlation was observed between baseline infant fear and changes in FAA. Conclusions: The studies in this thesis suggest that infant temperamental factors can influence CBT treatment outcomes for both birthing parents and their infants.