Semester Award Granted

Spring 2025

Submission Date

May 2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Nancy Aaron Jones

Abstract

The goal of this research was to examine if postpartum depression and maternal sensitivity are related, and how this relation manifests in mothers’ responses to their infants during unfamiliar mother-child interaction tasks compared to a routine interaction task. Participants included 55 mother-infant dyads. Dyads participated at one of three university sites across the United States. PPD data was collected from mothers when infants were 6 and 12 months old, while sensitivity data was taken when the infant was 12 months old. Results indicate that postpartum depression at 6 and 12 months is not predictive of maternal sensitivity within a non-clinical sample. Results also suggest that mothers are less responsive, specifically in their physical and facial expressions/vocalizations, in unfamiliar contexts than in routine interaction contexts. This relationship does not depend on depressive symptoms. Findings suggest that mothers, regardless of depression, may be hesitant to intervene via physical/facial/vocal responses during unfamiliar situations.

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