Depressed mothers' neonates improve following the MABI and a Brazelton demonstration.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effectiveness of a short-term intervention for improving interaction behaviors of newborn infants with their depressed mothers.


METHODS
Depressed mothers assigned to the experimental group first observed an administration of the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) at delivery. Mothers then used a similar instrument, the Mother's Assessment of the Behavior of her Infant (MABI), to independently conduct NBAS-like infant assessments periodically at home. Depressed mothers in the control group were not present when the NBAS was administered at delivery, and they periodically completed written assessments at home of their parenting attitudes and infants' development.


RESULTS
One-month NBAS assessments administered by an examiner revealed that experimental group infants performed more optimally than controls on Social Interaction and State Organization.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggested that an intervention consisting of mothers taking part in NBAS/MABI assessments may be a simple and cost-effective technique for benefiting infants of depressed mothers during the early postpartum period.
Hart
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Texas Tech University, Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Lubbock 79409-1162, USA. shart@hs.ttu.edu
Field
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012944:Social Support