A meta-analysis of 55 studies shows that children whose mothers are very stressed, anxious or depressed during pregnancy are more likely to have mental health and behavioral problems during childhood and adolescence.
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A child’s difficult behavior could be rooted in the mother’s psychological state during pregnancy. According to a study published by theAmerican Psychological Association, a mother who is stressed, anxious or depressed while expecting a baby increases the risk of her child’s “externalizing behavior” (with outwardly directed symptoms, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or aggressiveness). ). According to the researchers, these results are consistent with theories that suggest that exposure to stress hormones in utero can affect children’s brain development.
Researchers note that psychological distress during pregnancy has a small but persistent effect on the behavior of both boys and girls. Although the effect is more marked in early childhood (2 to 5 years), it also applies to children in middle childhood (6 to 12 years) and adolescence (13 to 18 years). This is a large meta-analysis of data from 55 studies involving more than 45,000 people and involving prenatal (during pregnancy) and postnatal (after childbirth) effects. However, the size of the prenatal effect remained largely unchanged after adjusting for postnatal distress, showing the unique effect of psychological distress during pregnancy on children’s behaviors.
Addressing mental health inequalities
“ These findings strengthen evidence that access to mental health care and support during pregnancy can be an essential step in helping prevent childhood behavior problemssaid Irene Tung of California State University, Dominguez Hills, co-author of the study published in Psychological Bulletin. Future research should also focus on increasing cultural and socioeconomic diversity to better understand the variables that affect prenatal stress and develop effective interventions. “, she clarified.
