Maternal prenatal anxiety, postnatal caregiving and infants' cortisol responses to the still-face procedure.
This study prospectively examined the separate and combined influences of maternal prenatal anxiety disorder and postnatal caregiving sensitivity on infants' salivary cortisol responses to the still-face procedure. Effects were assessed by measuring infant salivary cortisol upon arrival at the laboratory, and at 15-, 25-, and 40-min following the still-face procedure. Maternal symptoms of anxiety during the last 6 months of pregnancy were assessed using clinical diagnostic interview. Data analyses using linear mixed models were based on 88 women and their 7-month-old infants. Prenatal anxiety and maternal sensitivity emerged as independent, additive moderators of infant cortisol reactivity, F (3, 180) = 3.29, p = .02, F (3, 179) = 2.68, p = .05 respectively. Results were independent of maternal prenatal depression symptoms, and postnatal symptoms of anxiety and depression. Infants' stress-induced cortisol secretion patterns appear to relate not only to exposure to maternal prenatal anxiety, but also to maternal caregiving sensitivity, irrespective of prenatal psychological state.
Grant
Kerry-Ann
KA
Department of Psychology Centre for Emotional Health Macquarie University North Ryde New South Wales 2109, Australia. kerry-ann.grant@psy.mq.edu.au
McMahon
Catherine
C
Austin
Marie-Paule
MP
Reilly
Nicole
N
Leader
Leo
L
Ali
Sinan
S
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis*; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014741:Video Recording
D006854:Hydrocortisone