Antenatal and postnatal depressive symptoms: Association with quality of mother-infant interaction.

Antenatal and postnatal depression are independently associated with an increased risk of adverse infant development. A key linking mechanism is the quality of mother-infant interaction. OBJECTIVES: This study assesses the association between postnatal depressive symptoms (PDS) and their severity, with the quality of mother-infant interaction and compare the quality of mother-infant interaction and severity of the symptoms depending on the presence or absence of antenatal depressive symptoms (ADS). METHODS: observational study in 177 psychosocial risk mother-infant dyads from Chile (infant aged 2-12 months). RESULTS: Mothers with PDS had lower maternal sensitivity and a more intrusive/controlling style than mothers without PDS, although the severity of the symptoms was not associated with lower maternal sensitivity. Maternal sensitivity did not differ in the postnatal depressed mothers depending on the presence of ADS, although the mothers differed in interaction style and the severity of symptoms. Mothers with ADS and PDS presented with a predominant intrusive/controlling interaction style and more severe depressive symptoms, whereas those with only PDS presented with a predominant nonresponsive/passive interaction style and reduced severity of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The results corroborate the need to offer treatment and dyadic interventions to antenatal and postnatal depressive mothers and postulate that the presence of antenatal depressive symptoms may influence the subsequent mother-infant interaction style and greater severity of symptoms.

[Low quality of mother-child interaction in infants at psychosocial risk is associated with risk of developmental delay]. / Baja calidad de interacción madre-hijo/a en lactantes en riesgo psicosocial se asocia con riesgo de retraso del desarrollo.

INTRODUCTION: Early childhood is a fundamental period in children's development and depends largely on their in teractions with their main caregivers. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between risk of psycho motor developmental delay (PDD) with mother-child interaction quality, postpartum depressive symptoms, and other factors related to care and environment in healthy infants at psychosocial risk. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Analytical cross-sectional study in 181 mothers at psychosocial risk and their children aged under one year seen in Primary Health Care. The presence of risk of PDD was deter mined using the Ages & Stages Questionnaire and its association with interaction quality (CARE In dex), postpartum depressive symptoms (Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale), and other factors related to environment and care (questionnaire applied to the mother) was studied through bivariate and multivariate analyses, adjusting for confusing variables. RESULTS: 20% of infants were at risk of PDD. There was an increased risk of presenting risk of PDD after adjusting for predefined control variables with: low-quality mother-child interaction (OR = 2.46, p = 0.03), exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) <6 months (OR = 2.58, p = 0.01), and partner does not help with childcare (OR = 2.97, p = 0.03). No significant association was observed with postpartum depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: In healthy infants at psychosocial risk, low-quality mother-child interaction, EBF <6 months, and the non-involvement of the father in the childcare are associated with a higher risk of PDD.

Baja calidad de interacción madre-hijo/a en lactantes en riesgo psicosocial se asocia con riesgo de retraso del desarrollo / Low quality of mother-child interaction in infants at psychosocial risk is associated with risk of developmental delay

INTRODUCCIÓN: La infancia temprana es un período fundamental en el desarrollo de los niños y depende en gran parte de las interacciones que establecen con sus cuidadores principales. OBJETIVOS: Evaluar la asociación entre riesgo de retraso del desarrollo psicomotor (RDSM) con calidad de interacción madre-hijo/a, síntomas depresivos postparto y otros factores relacionados al cuidado y contexto, en lactantes sanos en riesgo psicosocial. PACIENTES Y MÉTODO: Estudio transversal analítico en 181 madres en riesgo psi- cosocial y sus hijo/as menores de un año, atendidas en Atención Primaria de Salud. Se determinó la presencia de riesgo de RDSM utilizando Ages & Stages Questionnaire y se estudió su asociación con calidad de interacción (CARE Index), síntomas depresivos postparto (Escala de Depresión Postparto Edimburgo) y otros factores relacionados al contexto y cuidado (cuestionario aplicado a la madre) mediante análisis bivariados y multivariados, ajustando por variables confundentes. RESULTADOS: 20% de los lactantes presentó riesgo de RDSM. Se observó un mayor riesgo de presentar riesgo de RDSM, después de ajustar por variables de control predefinidas, con: baja calidad de la interacción madre- hijo/a (OR = 2,46, p = 0,03), lactancia materna exclusiva (LME) < 6 meses (OR = 2,58, p = 0,01) y pareja no ayuda con el cuidado del niño (OR = 2,97, p = 0,03). No se observó una asociación significativa con síntomas depresivos postparto. CONCLUSIONES: En lactantes sanos en riesgo psicosocial se asocian a mayor riesgo de RDSM una baja calidad interacción madre-hijo/a, LME < 6 meses y no involucramiento del padre en el cuidado del hijo/a.

INTRODUCTION: Early childhood is a fundamental period in children's development and depends largely on their in teractions with their main caregivers. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between risk of psycho motor developmental delay (PDD) with mother-child interaction quality, postpartum depressive symptoms, and other factors related to care and environment in healthy infants at psychosocial risk. PATIENS AND METHOD: Analytical cross-sectional study in 181 mothers at psychosocial risk and their children aged under one year seen in Primary Health Care. The presence of risk of PDD was deter mined using the Ages & Stages Questionnaire and its association with interaction quality (CARE In dex), postpartum depressive symptoms (Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale), and other factors related to environment and care (questionnaire applied to the mother) was studied through bivariate and multivariate analyses, adjusting for confusing variables. RESULTS: 20% of infants were at risk of PDD. There was an increased risk of presenting risk of PDD after adjusting for predefined control variables with: low-quality mother-child interaction (OR = 2.46, p = 0.03), exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) <6 months (OR = 2.58, p = 0.01), and partner does not help with childcare (OR = 2.97, p = 0.03). No significant association was observed with postpartum depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: In healthy infants at psychosocial risk, low-quality mother-child interaction, EBF <6 months, and the non-involvement of the father in the childcare are associated with a higher risk of PDD.

Screening for postpartum depression in a private health care network in Chile.

BACKGROUND: It has been demonstrated that postpartum depression (PPD) has an impact on infant development with repercussions in the child's cognitive, socioemotional and conduct regulation. Screening for this disorder with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) has been recommended because this significantly identifies more cases of PPD than usual clinical evaluation. AIM: To evaluate the use of the EPDS to screen mothers attending well child care visits with their infants during the first 6 months of age and identifying the factors associated with its use in the largest private health care network in Chile. METHODS: Cross-sectional study, conducted by random sampling of the children's medical charts from a universe of 5700 infants aged 1-6 months that attended the health care network during 2009 and 2011. Estimated sample size: 500 medical charts, assuming a recording frequency of the EPDS of 5% (confidence level of 95% and power of 80%). The descriptive data analysis of the variables was carried out using a uni and multivariate analysis. All values of P < 0.05 were considered significant (Software SPSS 17.0). RESULTS: A total of 1940 visits, belonging to 503 medical charts of infants under 6 months of age were reviewed. The use of the EPDS to screen mothers was recorded in nine medical charts (1.7% of the infant population). The only variable that was significantly associated with the recording of the EPDS was the background of previous depression in the mother (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The record of the use of EPDS on mothers of infants seen in the private health care network is much less than what is recommended.

Enhancing early attachment: Design and pilot study of an intervention for primary health care dyads.

The attachment style of an infant with his caregiver can greatly influence his future development. Many interventions have been proposed to enhance early secure attachment styles, but few have characteristics that make them suitable for primary health care. The objective of the study wasto design a complex intervention for promoting secure attachment in dyads detected in Primary Health Care with altered patterns of attachment styles. The methodology proposed by the UK Medical Research Council was used: (1) theoretical phase: literature review; (2) modelling phase: the main components of the intervention were defined through qualitative research; and (3) exploration phase: pilot study of the preliminary intervention. The attachment style of the dyads was evaluated using the Massie-Campbell scale prior to and four months after the pilot intervention. The preliminary intervention was designed: a group workshop (five to seven dyads, with children aged between 6 and 12 months and two health care professional monitors) structured around various activities that specifically dealt with the skills associated with parental sensitivity and addressed relevant issues to child rearing. The intervention was then tested in a pilot study of 11 dyads in two primary health care centres. The analysis was done with nine dyads (two were lost in the second evaluation), and showed an improvement of 33 per cent in the secure attachment style in the dyads (not statistically significant). An original intervention is designed and proposed for dyads who have early indicators of altered styles of attachment in primary health care.