NEWBORNS OF DEPRESSED MOTHERS

Eighty-three newborns (M GA = 37 weeks) were assigned to depressed (N = 47) and nondepressed mother (N = 36) groups based on Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores. The Brazelton Neonatal Assessment Scale was a dministered to the infants within 24 hours after birth. Infants of dep ressed mothers demonstrated poorer performance on the orientation clus ter. Further analysis of the orientation cluster items revealed inferi or orientation to the inanimate stimuli. Infants of depressed mothers also showed less motor tone and activity and more irritability and les s robustness and endurance (unavailability, lethargy, and stress behav iors) during the examination.