The effects of postpartum depression on child development: a meta-analysis.
The adverse, short-term effects of postpartum depression on maternal-infant interaction have been repeatedly documented. Are there long-term sequelae for children whose mothers had experienced postpartum depression? The purpose of this meta-analysis was to determine the magnitude of the effect of postpartum depression on the cognitive and emotional development of children older than the age of 1 year. Nine studies which met the sample criteria were included in this meta-analysis. Results indicated that postpartum depression had a small but significant effect on children's cognitive and emotional development. The r indicator for effect size ranged from .18 to .22 whereas the d indicator ranged from .36 to .45. Implications for future research are addressed.
Beck
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CT
School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, Storrs 06269-2026, USA.
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant