Introduction. Prenatal psychopathology affects early and later child development. The present study analyzed limited maternal emotion regulation and bipolarity during pregnancy and infant anxiety,...Show moreIntroduction. Prenatal psychopathology affects early and later child development. The present study analyzed limited maternal emotion regulation and bipolarity during pregnancy and infant anxiety, sadness and aggression at six months. Method. The data derives from the longitudinal study “Een Goed Begin”, in which expectant mothers and their child from the Netherlands were followed during their pregnancy and after birth. For the current study, data from screening instruments were used to perform predictive analyses. Results. Limited maternal emotion regulation during pregnancy was not predictive of anxiety, sadness and aggression in infants at six months. Bipolarity of the expectant mothers was only predictive of aggression of the infants at six months. Collectively, the predictors were not predictive of fear, sadness and aggression. Unexpectantly, positive relationships were found between maternal bipolarity during pregnancy and infant anxiety and aggression at six months when the mother reported low emotion regulation problems. Conclusion. Based on the results it cannot be said with absolute certainty that mood problems in pregnant mothers are predictive of negative emotions in infants at six months. That said, it seems that a high degree of bipolarity symptoms during pregnancy is predictive of anxiety and aggression of the infant at six months.Show less
Dit onderzoek gaat over de invloed van verwachtingen, sociaal-economische status en sociaal netwerk van ouders op externaliserend probleemgedrag bij jonge kinderen.
