Infants born at risk: consequences for maternal post-partum adjustment.

The role of infant risk and social support as predictors of post-partum adjustment was investigated. Fifty-three mothers whose infants reflected the range of neonatal conditions were interviewed six weeks after discharge of their infant from hospital. They were assessed on measures of emotional distress, depressive symptoms, social support and perceptions of, and concerns about, their infant and themselves. The results indicated that mothers of higher risk infants reported higher levels of emotional distress and depressive symptomatology, more concerns about themselves and their baby, more difficulty in expressing affection towards their baby and greater dissatisfaction with their social support. Using multiple regression techniques, depressive symptoms were predicted by neonatal risk and dissatisfaction with social support from family and friends, while emotional distress was predicted by neonatal risk and dissatisfaction with social support from the infant's father. The study underlines the need to place more emphasis on infant variables as factors in maternal post-partum adjustment.