Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a short-term intervention for imp
roving interaction behaviors of newborn infants with their depressed mother
s.
Method: Depressed mothers assigned to the experimental group first observed
an administration of the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) at de
livery. Mothers then used a similar instrument, the Mother's Assessment of
the Behavior of her Infant (MABI), to independently conduct NBAS-like infan
t assessments periodically at home. Depressed mothers in the control group
were not present when the NBAS was administered at delivery, and they perio
dically completed written assessments at home of their parenting attitudes
and infants' development.
Results: One-month NBAS assessments administered by an examiner revealed th
at experimental group infants performed more optimally than controls on Soc
ial Interaction and State Organization.
Conclusions: Findings suggested that an intervention consisting of mothers
taking part in NBAS/MABI assessments may be a simple and cost-effective tec
hnique for benefiting infants of depressed mothers during the early postpar
tum period.