Kyle Getz Extra Credit Paper

kgetz 120006691 October 18, 2009

The Link Between Mother and Infant Depression

Within many research attempts, a strong relationship has been established between maternal and infant depression along with the impact it has on the child’s developmental problems throughout childhood and even adolescence. Among these longitudinal studies, they also take the third-variable problem into consideration when measuring the contextual factors as well as the occurring interaction issues. The targeted hypothesis is that “infants of depressed mothers are found to be more likely to develop mental and socioemotional problems” (Van Doesum p.157). As a consequence, there has been a model-based intervention program is directed to improve the interaction between mothers and their infants to further prevent problems in their children’s development. It has been confirmed that children of mentally unstable parents remains to be the primary cause with chances ranging from 41-77%. Reports have shown that these children can exhibit deregulations in the behavioral and physiological areas not too long after birth. Three topics have been proposed when talking about the direct effects of maternal depression on child development. These include the early mother-child interaction(s), prenatal transmissions (impaired blow flow to the placenta), and the genetic transfer (how the parents’ genotype affects the infant). Along with these possible influences, children of mentally ill parents also have an increased probability with depression, anxiety disorders and forming an alcohol dependency before the adolescence stage. By using a transactional model, it’s been found that the maternal depression in association with negative developmental outcomes in their offspring is not equally distributed amongst all children. This particular model calls attention to all the other factors that have been assumed to raise the risk. Such factors may be that depressed mothers speak to their children less, and when they do it is in a quiet, non-emphasized voice. This brings the issue of insufficient baby and infant-directed talk into the picture. They refuse to help resolve the infants’ conflicts, provide criticism and express hostility. From the other side of the relationship, the mutual imitation between mothers and their children results in a child imitating the mothers depressed behavior. They could even take it as far as copying the mother’s hostility and harsh discipline. Silence is another operative issue in the developmental process. When the insecurity of the mother causes her to ignore the child, her infant will display similar avoidance and cause them to function less in public atmospheres such as preschools and performing group tasks. “They have been found less effective in interpersonal relations...” (Van Doesum p. 163) and therefore allowing them to become more dependent, lack self-confidence and coping skills, and have a decreased ability in making friends. Aside from the characteristics of the depressed mother (low self esteem, negative thinking, inactive) and their affected child (gender influence, temperament, genetics, age), contextual support or lack there of comes into play. Important social stresses that help influence the outcomes include experiencing dramatic life experience first hand. These factors are more common in families with a single or no parent, loss of a job, or a serious death. The results speak for themselves and state that each of the aforementioned factors are more common in families with depressed parents when being compared to those with healthy parents. Furthermore, the amount of strength that the impact has is inconsistent from family to family, depending on the severity of depression and the level of vulnerability the child allows. This goes back to the programs and methods attempted to reduce the stress and provide overwhelming support. As described “the six core principles include; Early Intervention, Improvement of the quality of the mother-child interaction, Early treatment of the dressed mother, Improvement of social support, Additional mental health services, and Home Visits” (Van Doesum p. 167). The program is focusing on younger babies from 0 to 12 months of age, has been implemented by 20% of national health care services as well as European countries. The negative affects that depressed mothers have on their infants’ development have been persistent and growing worldwide. Future populations are at high risk of these issues transferring from generation to generation in psychopathology. This study has explored multiple familiar concepts embedded in Infant & Child Development psychology. The third-variable problem was used to explain the impact of the individuals environment. Also, how the parent’s genotype can even have a slight influence. The engagement in infant directed talk and efficient dialogue is another key component. The proposition of timing and age versus the displacement of causality has a huge role. Whether it occurs prenatally between the mother and her fetus or down the road when he or she is in her teens. The extent to which the mother-baby relationship is exposed to specific disadvantages varies due to family differences. As a whole, depression is still prevalent and there remains substantial evidence that it will continue to irritate lifestyles.