Cognition, Behavior, and Memory
Author: Hernán López Morales | Email: hernanlopezmorales@gmail.com
Hernán López-Morales1°2°3°4°, Julieta Sosa1°4°, Verónica Zabaletta1°4°, Eduardo Tomás Cánepa2°4°, Sebastián Urquijo1°2°
1° Instituto de Psicología Básica, Aplicada y Tecnología (CONICET-UNMdP))
2° Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Técnicas (CONICET)
3° Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Atlántida Argentina
4° Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (CONICET – UBA)
Pregnant women can experience stress levels up to twice as high as non-pregnant women, with rates in middle- and low-income countries potentially three to five times higher. This maternal adversity may negatively impact fetal brain maturation, increasing the risk of future health issues, such as temperamental alterations in offspring. The aim of this study was to identify the effects of maternal perinatal stress on infant temperament at three months postpartum. A longitudinal study was conducted with 198 mother-infant dyads involving full-term, singleton pregnancies. Mothers were assessed during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and at three months postpartum, while infants were evaluated at three months. Depression (EPDS), anxiety (STAI), perceived stress (PSS-10), and pregnancy-related distress (PDQ) were measured using validated scales. Infant temperament was assessed using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ). Principal component analysis generated three composite indices of maternal stress for each study time point. Hierarchical linear regression analyses, adjusted for covariates, revealed that infant extraversion (R2ajust=.347, p<.01), negative affectivity (R2ajust=.470, p<.01), and effortful control (R2ajust=.364, p<.01) were predicted by maternal stress during the second trimester. These findings underscore the importance of managing stress during this critical period to mitigate potential adverse effects on the socio-emotional development of the infant.