INFANTS OF DEPRESSED MOTHERS SHOW LESS DEPRESSED BEHAVIOR WITH THEIR NURSERY TEACHERS

This study investigated whether infants' ''depressed'' behavior (i.e., less positive affect and lower activity levels) noted during their in teractions with their depressed mothers generalized to their interacti ons with their nondepressed nursery teachers. Field et al. (1988) repo rted that infants of depressed mothers also show ''depressed behavior' ' when interacting with nondepressed female adults, suggesting that th e infants develop a generalized ''depressed mood style'' of interactio n. However, in that study the adults were also strangers to the infant s, confounding the results. In the present study, eighteen 3-month-old infants interacted with their depressed mothers and also with their n ondepressed familiar teachers in 3-minute episodes. The infants' behav ior ratings improved when they interacted with their familiar teachers compared to their interactions with their mothers. The infants' low a ctivity levels and negative affect were specific to their interactions with their depressed mothers. Thus, the data suggest that the infants respond differentially to depressed and nondepressed adults who are f amiliar.