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Excessive infant crying doubles the risk of mood and behavioral problems at age 5: evidence for mediation by maternal

Laetitia Joanna Clara Antonia Smarius1, Thea G A Strieder2, Eva M Loomans3

  • 1Academic Center for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry de Bascule, Meibergdreef 5, 1105AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. laetitiasmarius@online.nl.

European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
|July 17, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Excessive infant crying doubles the risk of behavioral and mood problems in children by age 5-6. Maternal burden of infant care partially mediates this association, suggesting targeted maternal support may prevent later issues.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Child Psychiatry
  • Maternal Health

Background:

  • Behavioral problems often emerge in early childhood.
  • Excessive infant crying is a common concern for parents.
  • Understanding early determinants of child behavioral issues is crucial for timely intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if excessive infant crying predicts emotional and behavioral problems at 5-6 years of age.
  • To explore the mediating roles of maternal burden of infant care and maternal aggressive behavior.
  • To identify potential targets for early intervention strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective, observational, population-based cohort study (Amsterdam Born Children and their Development - ABCD study).
  • Maternal ratings of excessive infant crying, maternal burden of care, and maternal aggression assessed via questionnaire.
  • Child emotional and behavioral problems assessed using Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Preschool Anxiety Scale (PAS), and Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ).

Main Results:

  • Excessive infant crying was associated with a twofold increased risk of overall problem behavior, conduct problems, hyperactivity, and mood problems at 5-6 years.
  • Maternal burden of infant care (17%) and maternal aggressive behavior (10%) partially mediated this association.
  • No association was found between excessive infant crying and generalized anxiety problems.

Conclusions:

  • Excessive infant crying is a significant predictor of later behavioral and mood problems in children.
  • Maternal factors, specifically burden of care and aggression, play a mediating role.
  • Providing specialized support for mothers with high care burdens for excessively crying infants may be a viable preventive strategy.

Keywords:
Behavioral problemsExcessive infant cryingMaternal aggressive behaviorMaternal burden of infant careMood problems

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