(PS10-C59) Maternal Postpartum Depression, Infant Temperament, and Expectancy of Future Child Behavior Problems and Parenting Competency in First-time Mothers of Infants

Maternal postpartum depression is associated with sub-optimal parenting practices and puts children at risk for developing externalizing behavior problems (Lovejoy, Gracyk, O’Hare, & Neuman, 2000). Temperament patterns displayed in infancy are also predictive of subsequent child behavior (Geisbrecht, Letourney, Dewey, 2020). Difficult infant temperament patterns, such as high rates of negative affect, are related to lower parenting confidence and satisfaction, and more problematic parent-child relationships (Peterson, Waldie, Mohal, Rees, Carr, Grant & Morton, 2017). However, it is unknown whether mothers themselves predict future children behavior difficulties and/or difficulties in managing behavior problems that may arise in the future. A cross-sectional survey of first-time mothers of infants was conducted to explore the relationship between maternal postpartum depressive symptoms, infant negative affect, and maternal expectancy of their competence in managing their future toddler’s behavior problems. Preliminary results include that of 64 mothers of 3-12 month old infants who completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS; Cox, Holden, Sagovsky, 1987), the Negative Affect subscale of the Infant Behavior Questionnaire Revised –Very Short Form (IBQ-R VSF; Putnam, Helbig, Garstein, Rothbart, & Leerkes, 2014), and 4 Likert-scale items querying mothers’ expectations of confidence in managing typical toddler behaviors including tantrums, noncompliance, and aggression, as well as how difficult they believe their toddler will be to manage compared to other toddlers. A multiple regression was run to predict maternal expectancy of confidence managing their toddler’s behavior problems from infant negative affect and maternal depressive symptoms. The multiple regression model statistically significantly predicted, F(2, 61) = 4.68, p = .01, adj. R² = .10. Only maternal depressive symptoms added statistically significantly to the prediction, p = .02.  A multiple regression was also run to predict maternal expectancy of the difficulty of their toddler’s behavior to manage from infant negative affect and maternal depressive symptoms. The multiple regression model was not statistically significant, F(2, 61) = 2.73, p = .07, adj. R² = .05. Full results will be presented. Findings could better inform cognitively-based interventions for postpartum depression.