title: Attachment disorganization moderates the effect of maternal postnatal depressive symptoms on infant autonomic functioning.
abstract: We examined associations of disorganized attachment and maternal depressive symptoms with infant autonomic functioning in 450 infant-mother dyads enrolled in the Generation R study. Maternal depressive symptoms were measured 2 months postpartum with the Brief Symptom Inventory. At 14 months, we assessed infant attachment with a slightly shortened Strange Situation and measured infant resting heart rate. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) was calculated using spectral analysis. Higher levels of maternal postnatal depressive symptoms predicted lower resting RSA in disorganized infants (B = -0.31, SE = 0.15, p = .04, R(2)  = .05) but not in nondisorganized infants (B = 0.05, SE = 0.06, p = .36). This effect was buffered in disorganized infants with a secondary secure attachment classification. Disorganized infants were more vulnerable to the effect of maternal postnatal depressive symptoms on the physiological stress systems.
authors.affiliation: Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tharner
authors.forename: Bram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dierckx
authors.forename: Maartje P C M
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Luijk
authors.forename: Marinus H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: van Ijzendoorn
authors.forename: Marian J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bakermans-Kranenburg
authors.forename: Joost R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: van Ginkel
authors.forename: Henriette A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Moll
authors.forename: Vincent W V
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Jaddoe
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofman
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hudziak
authors.forename: Frank C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Verhulst
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tiemeier
mesh_terms: D001146:Arrhythmia, Sinus / Q000503:physiopathology; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009769:Object Attachment; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology