Maternal Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Infant Developmental Outcomes in a South African Birth Cohort Study

Objective: To investigate the association between maternal posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and infant development in a South African birth cohort. Method: Data from the Drakenstein Child Health Study were analyzed. Maternal psychopathology was assessed using self-report and clinician-administer...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychological trauma 2017-05, Vol.9 (3), p.292-300
Main Authors: Koen, Nastassja, Brittain, Kirsty, Donald, Kirsten A., Barnett, Whitney, Koopowitz, Sheri, Maré, Karen, Zar, Heather J., Stein, Dan J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Birth
Child Development - physiology
Cohort Studies
Female
Human
Humans
Infant
Infant Development
Male
Mother Child Relations
Mothers
Mothers - psychology
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Pregnancy
Risk Factors
Socioeconomic Factors
South Africa
Stress
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology
Young Adult
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Summary:Objective: To investigate the association between maternal posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and infant development in a South African birth cohort. Method: Data from the Drakenstein Child Health Study were analyzed. Maternal psychopathology was assessed using self-report and clinician-administered interviews; and 6-month infant development using the Bayley III Scales of Infant Development. Linear regression analyses explored associations between predictor and outcome variables. Results: Data from 111 mothers and 112 infants (1 set of twins) were included. Most mothers (72%) reported lifetime trauma exposure; the lifetime prevalence of PTSD was 20%. Maternal PTSD was significantly associated with poorer fine motor and adaptive behavior - motor development; the latter remaining significant when adjusted for site, alcohol dependence, and infant head-circumference-for-age z score at birth. Conclusion: Maternal PTSD may be associated with impaired infant neurodevelopment. Further work in low- and middle-income populations may improve early childhood development in this context.
ISSN:1942-9681
1942-969X
DOI:10.1037/tra0000234