SYNOPSIS

Objective. The present study aimed to enhance understanding of continuity and stability of positive parenting of infants, across age and different settings in women with a history of depression who are at elevated risk for postpartum depression. Design. Mothers (N = 103) with a history of major depression and their infants were observed during 5-min play and feeding interactions when their infants were 3, 6, and 12 months of age. Summary scores representing mothers’ positive parenting were computed separately for each age and context based on ratings of five parenting behaviors. Mothers’ depressive symptom levels were assessed at each infant age. Results. Continuity (consistency of level) and stability (consistency of rank order) were assessed across age and context at both the group and individual level. Across-age analyses revealed continuity in the play context and discontinuity in the feeding context, albeit only at the group level, as well as weak to moderate stability. Across-context analyses revealed higher positive parenting scores in play than feeding at all time points as well as weak to moderate stability. Variations in positive parenting across age and context were independent of mothers’ postpartum depressive symptom levels. Conclusions. Findings based on normative samples may not generalize to women with a history of depression, who may benefit from interventions aimed at enhancing their positive parenting over the course of infancy, regardless of postpartum depressive symptom level. Results also underscore the importance of assessing parenting at multiple age points and across varying contexts.

概要

客观的。本研究旨在加强对婴儿积极养育的连续性和稳定性的理解，跨年龄和不同环境的有抑郁症病史的产后抑郁症风险较高的女性。设计。在婴儿分别为 3、6 和 12 个月大时，在 5 分钟的玩耍和喂养互动中观察了有严重抑郁症病史的母亲 ( N = 103) 及其婴儿。根据五种养育行为的评分，分别计算每个年龄和背景的代表母亲积极养育的总分。在每个婴儿年龄评估母亲的抑郁症状水平。结果。连续性（水平的一致性）和稳定性（等级顺序的一致性）在群体和个人水平上跨年龄和背景进行评估。跨年龄分析揭示了游戏环境的连续性和喂养环境的不连续性，尽管只是在群体层面，以及弱到中等的稳定性。跨背景分析显示，游戏中的积极育儿分数在所有时间点都高于喂养，以及弱到中等稳定性。跨年龄和背景的积极育儿差异与母亲的产后抑郁症状水平无关。结论。基于规范样本的研究结果可能无法推广到有抑郁症病史的女性，无论产后抑郁症状水平如何，她们可能会受益于旨在在婴儿期加强积极养育的干预措施。结果还强调了在多个年龄点和不同背景下评估育儿的重要性。