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Implications of Timing of Maternal Depressive Symptoms for Early Cognitive and Language Development

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Statistically, women, particularly pregnant women and new mothers, are at heightened risk for depression. The present review describes the current state of the research linking maternal depressed mood and children’s cognitive and language development. Exposure to maternal depressive symptoms, whether during the prenatal period, postpartum period, or chronically, has been found to increase children’s risk for later cognitive and language difficulties. The present review considers both the timing of maternal depression and the chronicity of mothers’ depression on children’s risk for cognitive and language delays. Infancy is frequently identified as a sensitive period in which environmental stimulation has the potential to substantially influence children’s cognitive and language development. However, children’s exposure to chronic maternal depression seems to be associated with more problematic outcomes for children, perhaps because depression interferes with mothers’ ability to respond sensitively and consistently over time. Consistent with this expectation, interventions targeting parenting practices of depressed mothers have been found to increase children’s cognitive competence during early childhood. The current review provides a synthesis of the current state of the field regarding the association between maternal depression and children’s cognitive and language development during early childhood.

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Notes

  1. Postpartum psychosis is a syndrome that involves delusions, hallucinations, and gross functional impairment (Brockington et al., 1981) and symptoms are often consistent with a bipolar disorder (Benvenuti et al., 1992; Kendell, Chalmers, & Platz, 1987). Postpartum psychosis rarely occurs (1–2 cases per 1000 births; Kendell et al., 1987; Kumar, 1994) and the duration tends to be temporary.

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  1. University of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

    Sara L. Sohr-Preston & Laura V. Scaramella PhD

  2. Psychology Department, University of New Orleans, 2000 Lakeshore Dr., Geology and Psychology Building Room 2001, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

    Laura V. Scaramella PhD

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Sohr-Preston, S.L., Scaramella, L.V. Implications of Timing of Maternal Depressive Symptoms for Early Cognitive and Language Development. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 9, 65–83 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-006-0004-2

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