Promising Results From a Video-Feedback Interaction Guidance Intervention for Improving Maternal–Infant Interaction Quality of Depressed Mothers: A Feasibility Pilot Study

Abstract

Background Mothers and infants affected by postpartum depression are known to have (1) reduced quality interactions and (2) elevated cortisol levels, both of which are linked to negative developmental outcomes in children. Parent training promoting sensitive and responsive maternal–infant interactions may help optimize development in children of mothers with postpartum depression. Objectives This pilot study tested a video-feedback interaction guidance intervention designed to improve maternal–infant interaction, depressive symptoms, and cortisol patterns of depressed mothers and their infants. Method An experimental, pre-test, post-test design was employed to randomly assign mothers with postpartum depression to intervention ( n = 6) and control ( n = 6) conditions. Intervention mothers received three video-feedback sessions during home visits, provided at three-week intervals. Control participants received three home visits on the same schedule. Results Significant differences favoring the intervention group were observed in maternal–infant interaction quality, especially maternal sensitivity and cognitive growth fostering activities, and in reduced infant diurnal cortisol. Conclusion Professionally guided video-feedback intervention appears to support improvements in interactions between depressed mothers and their infants and optimizes infants’ diurnal cortisol patterns. The findings from this feasibility pilot study have been used to support a large-scale follow-up exploration.