Do early parental postnatal depression, attachment style and perceived social support affect neurodevelopmental outcomes of premature infants?

Symptoms of depression in parents after discharge from NICU associated with family‐centred care

“…Fathers' depressive symptoms were associated with poorer cognitive development in preterm children (Çelen Yoldaş et al, 2020) even when adjusted for mothers' symptom levels and children's biological and social risk factors (Cheng et al, 2016).…”

“…Longitudinal studies found that the infants of mothers who were depressed at 4 months corrected infant age had lower cognitive functioning at 16 months, controlling for various socioeconomic factors (McManus & Poehlmann, 2012b ); clinically significant depressive symptoms at 9 months corrected infant age was also related to lower infant cognitive functioning at 16 months (McManus & Poehlmann, 2012a ). Fathers’ depressive symptoms were associated with poorer cognitive development in preterm children (Çelen Yoldaş et al, 2020 ) even when adjusted for mothers’ symptom levels and children's biological and social risk factors (Cheng et al, 2016 ). Fathers’ psychological well‐being was also associated with behavioural problems in 3‐year‐old children born very preterm (Huhtala et al, 2012 ).…”

NICU parents' mental health: A comparative study with parents of term and healthy infants

“…Associations between prematurity and later outcomes are compounded by the health and family life of the parents. Thus, it is important to assess and ensure good mental health in both mothers and fathers, not only for the parents' well‐being but also for the infants' development 3,14 …”

“…Thus, it is important to assess and ensure good mental health in both mothers and fathers, not only for the parents' wellbeing but also for the infants' development. 3,14 Evidence shows that within NICUs, parents' unlimited access to their infants, a trustworthy staff-parent partnership and substantial emotional support are associated with a decreased level of depression in parents. 10 A study from Norway showed that parents in single-family rooms spent more hours in skin-to-skin contact with their infants and had fewer symptoms of depression compared to parents of NICU infants cared for in open bay units.…”

Implicit affectivity as the predictor of the relationship between paternal postpartum depression and self‐stigma in fathers: A structural equation modeling analysis

“…Postpartum depression affects not only the parent suffering from depressive symptoms, but also the well‐being of all family members 7 . A recent study indicated that the presence of PPD in fathers, simultaneously with mothers, negatively affects the cognitive development of children 8 . In addition, PPD negatively affects the early interaction of parents with the baby and their initial attachment with the baby 7 .…”