Mothers' trait anxiety and adaptation to an infant born subsequent to the loss of a late pregnancy

Psychol Rep. 1997 Feb;80(1):216-8. doi: 10.2466/pr0.1997.80.1.216.

Abstract

21 women with one infant each born subsequent to the loss of a late pregnancy were invited to complete the State Trait Anxiety Inventory, and two Dutch mother-child adaptation scales one month after delivery. Scores on trait anxiety appeared to be significantly related to maladaptive behavior of the mother to her child in the first four weeks following the birth, suggesting that women with high anxiety and a past of lost pregnancy are at risk for the development of an unfavorable mother-child relation.

MeSH terms

  • Abortion, Spontaneous / psychology*
  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Adult
  • Anxiety / psychology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant Care / psychology
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Mother-Child Relations
  • Mothers / psychology*
  • Personality Inventory / statistics & numerical data
  • Pregnancy
  • Psychometrics
  • Risk Factors