Negative Infant Temperaments: The Maternal Influences of Resilience Versus Postpartum Depressive Symptoms

Abstract

Infant temperament is an important indicator of childhood, teenage and adulthood behaviour. Substantial attention has focused on risk factors, such as postpartum depressive symptoms (PDS), which are associated with higher levels of negative infant temperaments. Yet, maternal and family protective factors may exhibit equally strong influences that are associated with lower levels of negative infant temperaments. This study examined the moderating effects of two maternal factors (the protective factor of maternal resilience and the risk factor of PDS) on the association between family functioning and negative infant temperaments, while adjusting for known confounders. Using a cross-sectional study, first-time mothers of young infants (n = 384) were recruited to respond to an online, self-report questionnaire, which included reliable instruments such as Infant Characteristics Questionnaire, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Resilience Scale and Family APGAR (family functioning). Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that the risk factor of PDS lost significance when the protective factor of maternal resilience was introduced into models with the negative infant temperament outcomes of a fussy infant temperament (p < 0.001) and an unadaptable temperament (p < 0.01). Therefore, we conclude that healthcare professionals conducting interventions that support the relationships between mothers and their infants may have the potential to reduce negative infant temperaments. This paper shows that although the link between postpartum depressive symptoms and infant temperament is strong, mother’s resilience has a stronger association with a reduced negative infant temperament than postpartum depressive symptoms have with an increased negative temperament. Protective factors, such as maternal resilience and family functioning, are associated with reduced negative infant temperaments. Past studies show that risk factors, such as postpartum depressive symptoms, are linked to increased negative infant temperaments. When protective and risk factors are examined together, the protective factors have the stronger association with (reduced) negative infant temperaments. Protective factors, such as maternal resilience and family functioning, are associated with reduced negative infant temperaments. Past studies show that risk factors, such as postpartum depressive symptoms, are linked to increased negative infant temperaments. When protective and risk factors are examined together, the protective factors have the stronger association with (reduced) negative infant temperaments.