Mothers and their babies have significant emotional
bonds even before the child is born – mothers will often read or sing to their
babies before they are born. Babies become accustomed to their mother’s voice
and therefore a small bond is already formed. Recently, a different kind of
connection between mothers and their babies has been studied: the effects of a
mother’s mental health during pregnancy on the mental and socio-emotional
development of her baby in its first year.
A study done in Portugal published in 2012 studied
babies’ emotional development within the first year of their lives when their
mothers have one or more common mental disorders. Two hundred and four pregnant
women were recruited from a hospital obstetrics department in their third trimester
and their babies were tested at 3.5 and 12 months old.
The researchers used a series of diagnostic tests,
including the Clinical Evaluation of Depression (CED) and Brief Symptom
Inventory (BSI), to identify symptoms of psychopathology in the pregnant women.
The BSI evaluates symptoms of somatisation, obsession-compulsion, interpersonal
sensitivity, depression anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation,
and psychoticism, while the CED tests how well the mother functions in relation
to work, cognition, and interpersonal relationships on a scale of four levels
of severity. Next, the mental development of the infant at 3.5 and 12 months
was evaluated. Socio-emotional development was also assessed at 12 months.
The research found that 27.5% of the women tested
positive for diagnosable psychopathology with the Brief Symptom Inventory.
19.1% of the women were depressed according to the Inventory of the Clinical
Evaluation of Depression. The results showed that the babies of women who showed
symptoms of anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, and psychoticism had lower mental
development scores at 3.5 months, including personal-social, performance,
global scale, and hand-eye coordination.
Furthermore, babies of depressed or hostile mothers had lower mean scores
in global mental development and personal-social relationships at 12 months. Additionally,
the results showed that 20 babies who showed significant emotional issues all
had mothers with diagnosable psychopathology, showing that these infants’
social and behavioral development was hindered.
Although not many studies have been done about this
correlation and there were some limitations, such as small sample size and psychopathology
symptom data was self-reported was by the mothers so bias might be present,
this particular research does raise very notable points. The study was done in
Portugal, but this should be looked into internationally, as there are pregnant
women everywhere who may want to consider this research in regards to the
development of their infants. The fact that so many of these pregnant women
tested positive for psychopathology is also noteworthy. Does the hormonal
changes and high levels of stress during pregnancy account for the changes in
mothers’ mental stability? It is hard to tell within this study because the
women were not tested prior to pregnancy for psychological disorders. Moreover,
these tests should be consistently done in obstetrics and gynecology
departments to ensure the best care for the mother and child.
Furthermore, some psychological disorders that
persist after the mother births the baby can take a toll on the development of
the infant. People who suffer from depression are often less motivated,
concentrated, and focused. As some researched have suggested that depressed mothers
may hold their baby less; therefore, the intimacy between mother and child is
lacking and the infant’s mental, social, and behavioral development may suffer.
Also, mothers who experience the effects of anxiety and depression may turn to
alcohol or drugs as a coping mechanism, which can have an impact on the
developing child. It can cause neglect and ruin motherly bonds; thus, affecting
the child emotionally and even socially and behaviorally. In addition, the
results showed that an infant’s mental development may be inhibited in specific
areas such as hand-eye coordination, personal-social, locomotor, and
performance when their mothers experience symptoms of certain mental illnesses.
This also becomes a larger problem for the child as it grows neurologically
because it puts it at a higher predisposition for psychological problems as
well. Genetics is an important factor in the presence of mental illness.
It is important to have these sorts of tests done on
pregnant mothers because the earlier these issues are detected, the better
chance the child will have at developing at a normal and healthy rate and
long-term problems, for the mother and child alike, can be eliminated or at
least better controlled. The interpersonal and emotional aspects of pregnancy
are very significant and need to be examined along with the medical ones.
Additionally, tests should be done for children past their first-year of life
in order to investigate long-term consequences and how their development
progresses.
Ultimately, babies who scored higher in most of the
subscales for mental development had mothers who tested negative for
diagnosable psychopathology. These mothers were connected more intimately,
sensitively, and emotionally with their infant. This created a nurturing environment
that promoted healthy and consistent development.
This study is relevant to mothers, obstetrics and
gynecology doctors, and psychologists alike. The researchers claim, “The
identification of patterns of psychopathology in women during pregnancy may provide
an important opportunity to begin a program of support for these women in order
to optimze the mother-baby relationship, and, consequently the mental
development of their children.”
Citation (APA): Almeida, C. d., Sá, E., Cunha, F. F., & Pires,
E. P. (2012). Common Mental Disorders During Pregnancy and Baby’s Development
in the First Year of Life. Journal Of Reproductive
& Infant Psychology, 30(4), 341-351.
doi:10.1080/02646838.2012.736689
