The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics 2007 , Vol 49 , Num 2
Behavioral, interactional and developmental symptomatology in toddlers of depressed mothers: a preliminary clinical study within the DC:0-3 framework
1Departments of Child Psychiatry, Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Kayseri, Turkey
2Departments of Child Psychiatry, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
Öztop D, Uslu R. Behavioral, interactional and developmental symptomatology in toddlers of depressed mothers: a preliminary clinical study within the DC:0-3 framework. Turk J Pediatr 2007; 49: 171-178.

Relations between maternal depression and infant behavior, attachment and development were examined within a clinical diagnostic framework. The sample consisted of a study group of 15 infants and their mothers with depression compared to a group of 16 infants and their mothers with no diagnosable psychiatric disorders. The study group scored lower on expressive (p<.03), receptive (p<.05) and overall communication (p<.03) and coping skills (p<.03) of the Vineland and total scales (p<.05) of both developmental measures and higher on psychosocial stressor severity assessments (p<.01). More mother-infant dyads in the study group presented with relationship disorders (p<.01) with considerably lower PIR-GAS (global assessment scale for parent-infant relationship) scores (p<.001). Infants of depressed mothers were also significantly more likely to show problematic attachment behavior to their mothers (p<.01). As a factor leading to the increased risk of childhood developmental problems and psychopathology, maternal depression requires special attention during clinical assessment of infants and toddlers. Keywords : Maternal depression, infant, toddler, development, behavior, relationship

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