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Published on: June 13, 2021
Maternal-Infant interaction in women with unipoloar and bipolar depression
M Cynthia Logsdon1, Meghan Mittelberg2, Alexandra E Jacob3
1School of Nursing, University of Louisville and Associate Chief of Nursing for Research, University of Louisville Hospital/Brown Cancer Center, Louisville, Kentucky, 555S. Floyd Street Louisville, Kentucky 40202.
Background:
One percent of women experience bipolar disorder and are likely to suffer from mood disorders during the postpartum period, potentially impacting interaction with their infants. The purpose of this study was to describe maternal-infant interactions in women with bipolar depression at 12 months postpartum and to compare interactions to women with unipolar depression and a control group.
Methods:
Using a descriptive design, maternal-infant interactions in women with bipolar disorder (n=40) were videotaped, coded, and analyzed for maternal sensitivity and maternal-infant reciprocity and compared to maternal-infant interaction in women with unipolar depression (n=50) and women without depression (n=40).
Results:
Women with bipolar depression had lower scores on both maternal sensitivity and infant reciprocity, but differences were nonsignificant.
Conclusions:
This research is the first study to examine maternal-infant interaction in women with bipolar disorder, and important trends were noted. Future research should examine maternal-infant interaction at earlier time periods.
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