Understanding the link between maternal childhood maltreatment and mother-infant bonding: postpartum depressive symptoms as a mediator
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Background: Impairments in mother-infant bonding (MIB) during the postpartum period were shown to adversely affect a child’s development. Research suggests that such impairments are associated with mothers’ own childhood experiences of maltreatment. Hence, understanding factors that mediate this relationship is essential for developing targeted preventive interventions to support mothers who experienced maltreatment in their own childhood during the perinatal period.Objective: As postpartum depression is associated with maternal experiences of childhood maltreatment and impairments in MIB, we aimed to examine the mediating effect of postpartum depression in the relationship between maternal experiences of childhood maltreatment and impairments in MIB.Methods: Longitudinal data from N = 128 mothers in the control group of an eHealth preventive intervention (I-PREGNO) were analysed. Using a path model, we investigated whether the association between maternal childhood maltreatment (measured by the Childhood Trauma Screener) and MIB (measured by the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire) was mediated by postpartum depressive symptoms (measured by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale).Results: Postpartum depressive symptoms fully mediated the relationship between maternal experiences of childhood maltreatment and impairments in MIB (indirect effect [ab]: b = .44, p = .001, 95% CI [.18, .70]; direct effect [c’]: b = .01, p = .953, 95% CI [−.38, .41]; total effect [c]: b = .45, p = .041, 95% CI [.02, .89]).Conclusion: Our results highlight the importance of addressing postpartum depression in mothers with childhood maltreatment experiences to promote MIB and to support a healthy start for the child.Trial registration: German Clinical Trials Register identifier: DRKS00031067.
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,704
Awards: DZPG Aufbauförderung - 'Standort München' - PPI Strategien und Brückenprojekt zum DZKJ, ERA-Net on INtesTInal MICrobiomics, diet and health, implementing JPI HDHL objectives, G4455926218, Prevention of unhealthy weight gain in families in pregnancy and postpartum using a mHealth-enhanced intervention., G4565687599, G4653281258, I-PREGNO - Prävention von ungesunder Gewichtszunahme in Familien vor und nach der Geburt mit Hilfe einer mHealth enhanced Intervention - Teilprojekt Intervention, G6382789533
OpenAlex ID: W4415615040