PRESCHOOLERS OF DYSPHORIC MOTHERS

Dysphoric mothers rated their preschool children as having more intern alizing and externalizing behavior problems than children of nondyspho ric mothers. Observers rated the dysphoric mothers as having more nega tive affect during play interactions, although their children's affect was not rated more negatively. The dysphoric mother-infant dyads were also rated as having a poorer quality interaction. These data suggest that mothers' chronic dysphoria (75% were chronically dysphoric) has a negative impact on the mothers' perceptions of their children as wel l as the mothers' and children's interaction behavior.