Prediction of Early Childhood Negative Emotionality and Inhibition From Maternal Distress During Pregnancy

The association was investigated between psychological distress reported during each trimester of pregnancy and maternal ratings of temperament when the children were 6 months and 5 years of age. Mothers in the greater Helsinki area who were to give birth during a 1-year period completed a brief questionnaire describing their psychological adjustment and medical symptoms at each prenatal visit to government health clinics. Mothers rated their children\u27s temperament at ages 6 months and 5 years. Maternal psychological distress during pregnancy was only modestly associated with infant temperament. However, maternal distress during the first trimester was associated with ratings of negative emotionality at age 5 years, with a stronger correlation for males. Inhibition at age 5 was predicted by infant distress to novelty, particularly for males