Predictors of maternal depression trajectories were examined longitudinally in families with an infant born preterm or low birthweight. A total of 181 mother-infant dyads enrolled in the study prior to the infant's NICU discharge. Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed at five timepoints, and contextual variables and infant risks were assessed at NICU discharge. Hierarchical linear models revealed that mothers who experienced more risk factors reported more depressive symptoms just prior to their infant's NICU discharge and showed less decline in depressive symptoms in the months immediately following the child's birth. Although cumulative risks predicted depression trajectories, this effect appeared driven by maternal and family sociodemographic risks rather than infant risks. Addition of family support as a covariate in the multilevel models with a subsample of families revealed that social support and depression covaried across time. However, most of the findings regarding the association between risk and depression remained consistent, whereas the effects of maternal race and multiple birth were slightly attenuated. Keywords cumulative risks; family support; low birthweight; maternal depression; pretermThe number of infants born preterm (< 37 weeks gestation) or low birthweight (< 2500 grams) has increased in the U.S. and other developed countries and more infants are surviving their Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) stays (Hamilton, Martin, & Ventura, 2007), resulting in a growing number of families facing the challenge of caring for vulnerable infants. Mothers of infants born preterm or low birthweight (PT LBW) are at risk for experiencing psychological distress and depression following the child's birth, and although these symptoms tend to decrease over time, some mothers remained depressed (e.g., Miles, Holditch-Davis, Schwartz, Corresponding author information: Julie Poehlmann, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Human Development & Family Studies, University of Wisconsin, 1500 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53705, poehlmann@waisman.wisc.edu 608-263-4839. Publisher's Disclaimer: The following manuscript is the final accepted manuscript. It has not been subjected to the final copyediting, fact-checking, and proofreading required for formal publication. It is not the definitive, publisher-authenticated version. The American Psychological Association and its Council of Editors disclaim any responsibility or liabilities for errors or omissions of this manuscript version, any version derived from this manuscript by NIH, or other third parties. The published version is available at www.apa.org/journals/fam. & Scher, 2007). Because research with fullterms has found links between persistent maternal depression and less optimal child outcomes (e.g., Campbell, Matestic, von Stauffenberg, Mohan & Kirchner, 2007), it is essential to examine predictors of maternal depression trajectories over time in families with PT LBW infants. In addition, because family support has been associated with maternal mental health a...

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Using Ecological Systems Theory and stage sequential modelling procedures for detecting mediation, this study examined how early developmental contexts impact preschoolers' performances on a measure of sustained attention and impulse control. Data from 1273 European-American and African-American participants in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care were used to identify the potential mediators of the relation between early household income-to-need (INR) and 54-month impulsivity and inattention.

These findings suggest areas for future research and intervention with children born PT LBW who also experience high socioeconomic risk.

Although children born preterm or low birth weight (PT LBW) are more likely to exhibit behavior problems compared to children born at term, developmental and family processes associated with these problems are unclear. We examined trajectories of maternal depressive symptoms in relation to toddler compliance and behavior problems in families with PT LBW infants. A total of 177 infants (93 boys, 84 girls) and their mothers enrolled in the study during the infant’s NICU stay. Data were collected at five time points across 2 years. Assessments of maternal depressive symptoms were conducted at all time points, and toddler compliance and opposition to maternal requests and behavior problems were assessed at 2 years. Toddlers born earlier with more health problems to mothers whose depressive symptoms increased over time exhibited the most opposition to maternal requests during a cleanup task at 24 months, consistent with multiple risk models. Mothers with elevated depression symptoms reported more behavior problems in their toddlers. The study has implications for family-based early intervention programs seeking to identify PT LBW infants at highest risk for problem behaviors.