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Objective: To assess the relationship between trajectories of maternal depression from pregnancy to the child's age of 5 years and children's emotional and behavioral difficulties at age 5 years., Study Design: Mother-child pairs (n = 1183) from the EDEN mother-child birth cohort study based in France were followed from 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy to the child's fifth birthday. Children's behavior at age 5 years was assessed with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Maternal depression was assessed repeatedly with the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression questionnaire (pregnancy, 3, and 5 years of age) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (4, 8, and 12 months postpartum). Homogeneous latent trajectory groups of maternal depression were identified within the study population and correlated with Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire scores by the use of multivariate linear regression analyzes., Results: Five trajectories of maternal symptoms of depression were identified: no symptoms (62.0%); persistent intermediate-level depressive symptoms (25.3%); persistent high depressive symptoms (4.6%); high symptoms in pregnancy only (3.6%); and high symptoms in the child's preschool period only (4.6%). Children whose mothers had persistent depressive symptoms--either intermediate or high--had the greatest levels of emotional and behavioral difficulties at age 5 years. In addition, compared with children whose mothers were never depressed, those whose mothers had high symptoms in the preschool period also had increased levels of emotional symptoms, conduct problems, and peer problems., Conclusions: Maternal depression symptoms are related to children's emotional and behavioral problems, particularly if they are persistent (29.9%) or occur during early childhood (4.6%)., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Children of mothers who experience depression in pregnancy may be at high risk of emotional disturbances; however heterogeneity in risk suggests that other factors could play a moderating role. We test the hypothesis that children growing up in families characterised by both maternal depression and socioeconomic disadvantage are especially likely to have temperamental difficulties., Methods: Data come from the mother-child EDEN cohort study based in France (n=1903 mother-child pairs followed from 24 weeks of pregnancy to 12 months of age). Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed using the CES-D questionnaire, family socioeconomic position by family income and child temperament by the EAS at age 12 months. Linear regression analyses were adjusted for demographic characteristics (child's age, sex, mother's age at birth, number of siblings, parental separation, nonmaternal care) as well as child's premature birth, birth weight, duration of breastfeeding, maternal anxiety during pregnancy and maternal postnatal depression., Results: Accounting for age and sex, family risk (i.e. combined maternal depression and family income) was associated with children' scores of emotionality (p<0.0001) and activity (p=0.02). In multivariate analyses, children growing up exposed to both maternal depression and low income had the highest emotionality scores (β=0.57, se=0.14, p=0.0001)., Limitations: Maternal depression symptoms are self-reported., Conclusions: Addressing the mental health needs of socioeconomically disadvantaged families with young children may help reduce the burden of internalising problems in the next generation., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The aim of the study was to assess the validity of the French version of the Infant Characteristics Questionnaire (ICQ), which was developed by Bates in 1979 to investigate the parental perceptions of infant temperament at 6 months of age., Methods: The French version was established after translation/back-translation, and tested on a sample of 794 mothers, who gave birth in 1995 in four French Departments and who returned the questionnaire which was mailed 6 months after the birth., Results: The non-response rate of each item was very low (< 2%). Factor analysis resulted in the same four factors as in the American data: fussy/difficult, unadaptable, unpredictable, dull. However, some of the items did not have similar factor loadings. Thus new factor scores were defined for the French version of the ICQ. Internal consistency, as measured by the Cronbach coefficient, was satisfactory (> 0.7) for the factors fussy/difficult and unadaptable. It was lower, but acceptable (> 0.6) for the two other factors. The infant's temperament was not related to birth parameters. In contrast, some factor scores were significantly associated with parity, mother's education, as well as her health and the infant's health after leaving the maternity ward., Conclusions: The French version of the ICQ is well accepted and has a good validity. This scale provides a useful instrument for research, especially for epidemiological studies on infant health and development, as well as their determinants.

This study analysed the characteristics of respondent and nonrespondent mothers at each stage of a survey procedure, from a initial questionnaire to a reminder letter and two repeated mailings. Of 938 mothers of liveborn children who, while maternity inpatients, received a questionnaire and information about a mail survey to follow 2 months later, 828 completed and returned the initial questionnaire, 708 agreed to participate in the mail survey and were sent the mail questionnaire, and 612 finally completed and returned the questionnaire at 2 months. There were differences between respondents and non-respondents for socio-demographic factors at each stage of the process. The final response rate to the mail questionnaire was higher among mothers who were younger, were breast feeding, and had more education, an occupation and fewer children. The characteristics of late respondents were intermediate between those of early to middle respondents and nonrespondents for age, educational level, breast feeding and occupation. Maternal and infant health varied only slightly according to response status. Repeated mailings increased response and diminished selection. A mail questionnaire after contact in a maternity ward is a cost-effective means of gathering data about a large sample of recent mothers and their children.