The role of maternal mental health, infant temperament, and couple's relationship quality for mother-infant bonding
R Tolja, S Nakić Radoš… - Journal of Reproductive …, 2020 - Taylor & Francis
R Tolja, S Nakić Radoš, M Anđelinović
Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 2020•Taylor & FrancisBackground Mother-infant bonding is the early emotional connection between mother and
infant. It is affected by some aspects of maternal mental health, infant temperament, and the
quality of a couple's relationship. Objective This research aimed to determine the
associations of the mother's postnatal depression and anxiety symptoms, infant
temperament, and the quality of the couple's relationship with mother-infant bonding.
Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 241 Croatian mothers of …
infant. It is affected by some aspects of maternal mental health, infant temperament, and the
quality of a couple's relationship. Objective This research aimed to determine the
associations of the mother's postnatal depression and anxiety symptoms, infant
temperament, and the quality of the couple's relationship with mother-infant bonding.
Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 241 Croatian mothers of …
Background
Mother-infant bonding is the early emotional connection between mother and infant. It is affected by some aspects of maternal mental health, infant temperament, and the quality of a couple’s relationship.
Objective
This research aimed to determine the associations of the mother’s postnatal depression and anxiety symptoms, infant temperament, and the quality of the couple’s relationship with mother-infant bonding.
Methods
This cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 241 Croatian mothers of infants aged between one month and one year (Mage = 6.34 months). The psychological instruments used in this study were: Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, Infant Characteristic Questionnaire, and Perceived Quality of Marital Relationship Scale .
Results
Hierarchical regression analyses showed that previous maternal depression longer than two weeks, postnatal depression and anxiety symptoms, and difficult and unpredictable infant temperament were associated with self-report of poorer mother-infant bonding. Of the examined variables, the quality of the couple’s relationship was in the lowest association with mother-infant bonding.
Conclusion
Given the importance of, in particular, the maternal depression and infant temperament for poor mother-infant bonding, early intervention and the reduction of risks factors may be necessary to prevent the development of such difficulties.
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