HELPING MOTHERS FIGHT DEPRESSION - EVALUATION OF A HOME-BASED INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR DEPRESSED MOTHERS AND THEIR INFANTS

Studied demographically matched groups of 38 nondepressed and 73 clini cally depressed mothers of 3- to 13-months-old infants in a home visit intervention (n = 37) or usual care (n = 36). Intervention mothers im proved more in reported depression and daily hassles than the other gr oups (ps < .01). Better maternal and child adjustments accompanied dec reased depression. Maternal punitiveness significantly increased in de pressed control but not other groups, yielding a marginal (p = .06) Ti me x Group interaction. Social support decreased among depressed contr ol mothers only. More children of depressed mothers were insecurely at tached, and intervention children were less avoidant/inhibited and mor e resistant/coercive than children of depressed control.