title: Parental acceptance, postpartum depression, and maternal sensitivity: mediating and moderating processes.
abstract: Mothers (n = 92), fathers (n = 84), and their infants (60% male) participated in a longitudinal study of postpartum depression and maternal sensitivity. Mothers completed questionnaire measures of remembered parental acceptance, depressive symptoms, and infant distress to novelty and limits. Mothers and partners reported on marital aggression and avoidance. Maternal sensitivity was observed in the laboratory at 6 months. Characteristics of mothers, partners, and infants combined to predict postpartum depression and maternal sensitivity. Remembered parental rejection predicted postpartum depressive symptoms with prenatal depression controlled; self-esteem mediated this effect. Paternal acceptance buffered against postpartum depression when infants were highly reactive and when partners were aggressive. Paternal acceptance reduced the impact of postpartum depression on maternal sensitivity; having an aggressive marital partner exacerbated the effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, John Dewey Hall, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405-0134, USA. s_crocke@dewey.uvm.edu
authors.forename: Susan C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Crockenberg
authors.forename: Esther M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Leerkes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D032721:Adult Children / Q000523:psychology*; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011247:Pregnancy; D012059:Rejection, Psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology