Influence of in utero exposure to maternal depression and natural disaster‐related stress on infant temperament at 6 months: The children of Superstorm Sandy. Issue 2 (5th February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nomura, Yoko; Davey, Kei; Pehme, Patricia M.; Finik, Jackie; Glover, Vivette; Zhang, Wei; Huang, Yonglin; Buthmann, Jessica; Dana, Kathryn; Yoshida, Sachiko; Tsuchiya, Kenji J.; Li, Xiao Bo; Ham, Jacob
• Is Part Of: Infant mental health journal. Volume 40:Issue 2(2019)
• Page Start: 204
• Page End: 216
• Publication Date: 2019-02-05
• Subjects: depression during pregnancy -- infant temperament -- prospective study -- Superstorm Sandy -- traumatic stress -- Gran Tormenta Sandy -- depresión durante el embarazo -- estrés traumático -- temperamento del infante -- estudio prospectivo -- Super‐tempête Sandy -- dépression durant la grossesse -- stress traumatique -- tempérament du bébé -- étude prospective -- Supersturm Sandy -- Depression während der Schwangerschaft -- traumatischer Stress -- Säuglingstemperament -- prospektive Studie -- 大型ハリケーンサンディ -- 妊娠期間中のうつ病 -- 心的外傷性ストレス -- 乳幼児の気質 -- 前向き研究 -- 超級風暴桑迪 -- 妊娠期抑鬱 -- 創傷性壓力 -- 嬰兒氣質 -- 前瞻性研究。 -- إعصار ساندي, الاكتئاب اثناء الحمل -- الإجهاد الناتج عن الصدمة. مزاج الرضع ؛ دراسة استطلاعية; Infant psychiatry -- Periodicals; Infant psychology -- Periodicals; 618.9289
• DOI: 10.1002/imhj.21766
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0163-9641

Abstract

Abstract: This study examined the effects of in utero exposure to maternal depression and Superstorm Sandy, a hurricane that hit metropolitan New York in 2012, on infant temperament at 6 months. Temperament was assessed using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire‐Revised. Maternal depression was measured by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. The main effects and the interaction of maternal depression and Sandy exposure on infant temperament were examined using a multivariable generalized linear model. Results show that prenatal maternal depression was associated with lower emotion regulation and greater distress. Stratification and interaction analyses suggested that the adverse effects of prenatal maternal depression on problematic temperament were amplified by in utero Sandy exposure. This study underscores the importance of providing prenatal screening and treatment for maternal depression during pregnancy while also identifying high‐risk families who may have suffered from disaster‐related traumas to provide necessary services. As the frequency of natural disasters may increase due to climate change, it is important to understand the consequences of in utero stress on child development and to formulate plans for early identification.