Infant Crying Predicts Real-Time Fluctuations in Maternal Mental Health in Ecologically Valid Home Settings

Autor/inn/en	de Barbaro, Kaya; Micheletti, Megan; Yao, Xuewen; Khante, Priyanka; Johnson, Mckensey; Goodman, Sherryl
Titel	Infant Crying Predicts Real-Time Fluctuations in Maternal Mental Health in Ecologically Valid Home Settings
Quelle	In: Developmental Psychology, 59 (2023) 4, S.733-744 (12 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (de Barbaro, Kaya)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0012-1649
DOI	10.1037/dev0001530
Schlagwörter	Infants; Crying; Mothers; Mental Health; Urban Areas; Affective Behavior; Depression (Psychology); Anxiety; Incidence; Texas (Austin); Positive and Negative Affect Schedule + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Infant; Toddler; Toddlers; Kleinkind; Weinen; Mother; Mutter; Psychohygiene; Urban area; Stadtregion; Affective disturbance; Active behaviour; Affektive Störung; Angst; Vorkommen
Abstract	Exposure to infant crying is a well-established predictor of mothers' mental health. However, this association may reflect many potential mechanisms. Capturing dynamic fluctuations in mothers' states simultaneously with caregiving experiences is necessary to identify the real-time processes influencing mental health. In this study, we leveraged ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) and infant-worn audio recorders to capture variability in mothers' mental health symptoms and their exposure to infant crying over one week in a racially and socio-economically diverse urban North-American sample (N = 53). We use multilevel modeling to characterize within- and between-person effects of crying on maternal negative affect and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Within participants, when infants cried more than average in the 10 min, 1 hr, and 8 hr prior to an EMA report, mothers' negative affect subsequently increased, controlling for mean levels of infant crying. In contrast to findings from laboratory studies, in everyday settings crying exposure did not immediately increase feelings of depression. Only when crying was above average for 8 hr prior to EMA did mothers report increases in subsequent depression symptoms, suggesting that the effects of crying on maternal mental health take "hours" to unfold in ecologically valid home settings. Between participants, mothers of infants who cried more on average did not report higher negative affect or symptoms of depression or anxiety. Overall, our findings reveal that crying exposure dynamically influences maternal negative affect and depression but not anxiety in ecologically valid real-world settings. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01