Predictors of Infant Care Competence Among Mothers With Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression is linked to decreased quality mother-infant interactions and long-term negative impacts on children's behavior and health. Infant care competence may be reduced by postpartum depression and other maternal or environmental variables. Thus, the objective of this study was to explain factors that contribute to perceived infant care competence among mothers with postpartum depression.

Multiple regression analysis and correlational analysis were conducted to study associations between the predictors (depression severity, social support, child development, family functioning) and the outcome of perceived infant care competence among a peer support intervention study for mothers with postpartum depression (n = 55).

Child development, specifically communication (P = .04), gross (P = .00) and fine (P = .00) motor skills, problem solving (P = .00), and personal-social development (P = .01), explained maternal perceptions of responsiveness, an aspect of infant care competence. The best-fit model was obtained for the responsiveness subscale, in which 37% of the variance was explained by mothers' reports of infants' fine motor skills (P = .000) and nurturance (P = .039) as an aspect of social support and family functioning (P = .078).

Recognition of the importance of infant development to perceived infant care competence, particularly mothers' perceptions of infant responsiveness, may offer targets for intervention. Helping mothers identify infant cues and milestones that signal infant responsiveness may be beneficial. Moreover, social support and family functioning may be targets for intervention to promote perceived infant care competence in mothers affected by postpartum depression.