Touch by Intrusive and Withdrawn Mothers with Depressive Symptoms

Abstract

Interaction behaviours of 88 adolescent mothers with depressive symptoms and their 3-month-old infants were videotaped and coded for different types of touch. The ‘depressed’ mothers were classified as intrusive, withdrawm or good by one observer and another observer coded rough tickling, poking, tugging and pulling as negative touch behaviours and gentle stroking and rubbing as positive touch behaviours. The mothers with depressive symptoms were more likely to touch their infants in a negative way and more likely to be classified as intrusive.