Prediction of early childhood negative emotionality and inhibition from maternal distress during pregnancy

The association was investigated between psychological distress reported du ring each trimester of pregnancy and maternal ratings of temperament when t he children were 6 months and 5 years of age. Mothers in the greater Helsin ki area who were to give birth during a 1-year period completed a brief que stionnaire describing their psychological adjustment and medical symptoms a t each prenatal visit to government health clinics. Mothers rated their chi ldren's temperament at ages 6 months and 5 years. Maternal psychological di stress during pregnancy was only modestly associated with infant temperamen t. However, maternal distress during the first trimester was associated wit h ratings of negative emotionality at age 5 years, with a stronger correlat ion for males. Inhibition at age 5 was predicted by infant distress to nove lty, particularly for males.