PARENTAL ANXIETY AND RESPONSE TO SYMPTOMS OF MINOR ILLNESS IN INFANTS

Examined the relationship between parental anxiety and parental contac t with the clinic following a child's initial DPT immunization. The su bjects were 80 volunteer mothers who brought their 8-week-old infants to an outpatient clinic for a well-child visit. At the time of the vis it, maternal anxiety, anxiety proneness, perception of the infant as f ussy or difficult, and demographic information were assessed. Seventy- two hours after the immunization, subjects reported DPT side effects a nd physician contacts. Discriminant function analysis found that mothe rs who were anxious prior to DPT administration and who had infant gir ls were more likely to contact the clinic by telephone. This relations hip was independent of prior maternal experience with DPT immunization , maternal perception of the infant's general fussiness, and maternal Trait anxiety.