title: [Infants' temperament and health problems according to maternal postpartum depression].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mothers' postpartum depression is a worldwide health concern that produces compromising effects on their infants. This study was conducted to compare the infants' temperament and health problems according to the presence of maternal postpartum depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from May to October in 2009. The sample was 137 mothers at one month postpartum. The Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to assess depressive symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At one month postpartum, 22.6% of mothers were classified as having postpartum depression. Infants of depressed mothers were more frequently classified as difficult temperament infants. They showed lower scores on the amenability, rhythmicity and persistency and higher scores on activity in temperament. Also, infants of depressed mothers reported more infant health problems at one months. Maternal depression showed significant negative correlations with family functioning, social support and marital satisfaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Study findings show that postpartum maternal depression is associated with infants' temperament and health, and thus screening and early interventions for postpartum depression would promote the health of both the mother and infant.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing & The Research Institute of Nursing Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea. ksbang@snu.ac.kr
authors.forename: Kyung Sook
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Bang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D007229:Infant Welfare; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013694:Temperament; D013997:Time Factors