MATERNAL CHARACTERISTICS AND SOCIAL SUPPORT ACROSS THE TRANSITION TO MOTHERHOOD - ASSOCIATIONS WITH MATERNAL-BEHAVIOR

This study examined associations among personality, mood, stress, and social support during the transition to motherhood and quality of mate rnal behavior at 3 months postpartum. Seventy primiparous, married wom en completed questionnaires during pregnancy and at 3 months postpartu m. Mother-infant interactions were observed in the home. Maternal sens itivity and expressivity were differentially predicted by social suppo rt and mood. Women reported more life stress and less satisfaction wit h spousal support postpartum than prenatally. Women who reported feeli ng more anxious and worried prenatally were rated as less expressive i n interactions with their infants. Surprisingly, prenatal satisfaction with support from the new mothers' parents was negatively associated with maternal sensitivity. Results highlight the importance of examini ng prenatal as well as postpartum experiences as possible antecedents of the quality of maternal behavior.