Depression's influence on mother-infant interactious at 2 months postpartum was studied in 24 depressed and 22 nondepressed mothex-infant dyads. Depression was diagnosed using the SADS-L and RDC. In S's homes, structured interactions of 3 min duration were videotaped and later coded using behavioral descriptors and a l-s time base. Unstructured interactions were described using rating scales. During structured interactions, depressed mothers were more negative and their babies were less positive than were nondepressed dyads. The reduced positivity of depressed dyads was achieved through contingent resixmfiveness. Ratings from unstructured interactions were consistent with these findings. Results support the hypothesis that depression negatively influences motherinfant behaviol; but indicate that influence may vary with development, chronicity, and presence of other risk factors.

Although some depressed mothers are withdrawn, others are highly engaged and intrusive. There are correspondences between the behavior of depressed mothers and their infants.

Differential emotions theory (DET) proposes that infant facial expressions of emotions are differentiated. To test this hypothesis, we examined infant facial expressions longitudinally at 2,4, and 6 months of age during face-to-face play and a "still-face" interaction with their mothers. Infant expressions were coded using the Maximally Discriminative Facial Movement Coding System (Max). Consistent with DET, discrete positive expressions occurred more of the time and were of longer duration than blended expressions of positive affect. Contrary to DET, at no age did the proportions or durations of discrete and blended negative expressions differ, and they showed different patterns of developmental change. One is led to either reject or revise DET or else question the adequacy of the Max system.

The Monadic Phases Coding System (MP) and the Maximally Discriminative Facial Movement Coding System (MAX) are both widely used to define and quantify categories of infant affective behavior. To evaluate the validity of extrapolating research findings from one system to another, we used both systems to code videotapes of 12 four-month-old infants engaged in mother-infant interaction. Interobserver agreement was higher with MP; interobserver reliability was equivalent. Point estimates for the percentages of negative and positive, but not interest, expressions were equivalent. MP and MAX generally agreed about the type of expression presented. Intersystem correlations supported the concurrent, but not discriminant, validity of MP and MAX categories. Interest expressions were not orthogonal to negative and positive affect.

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