Maternal depression and infant social withdrawal as predictors of behaviour and development in vertically HIV-infected children at 3.5 years

ABSTRACT Background In low- and middle-income countries, there is a high prevalence of post-partum depression and it is often associated with HIV status. Maternal depression negatively affects mothering and can lead to social withdrawal in infants. Maternal depression and infant social withdrawal can have deleterious long-term effects on children’s behaviour and neurodevelopmental trajectories. Aim To investigate whether maternal depression and infant social withdrawal at 10–12 months post-partum were significant predictors of child behaviour and development at 42 months. Method Seventy-four mother–infant dyads living with HIV were followed in a prospective, longitudinal design. Mothers were assessed for depression using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D). Infant social withdrawal was assessed by the modified Alarm Distress Baby Scale (m-ADBB), and development and behaviour were evaluated by the Griffiths Mental Development Scales (GMDS) and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), respectively. Results Maternal depression explained 4.8% of the variance in child behaviour (β = 0.98, t = 2.05, p < 0.05) and 10.3% of the variance in development (β = −0.30, t = −2.66, p < 0.05). Infant social withdrawal was not a significant predictor of behaviour (β = 3.27, t = 1.36, p = 0.18), but it did uniquely explain 7% of the variance in development (β = −1.32, t = −2.48, p < 0.05). Conclusion In the context of HIV, screening for maternal depression and the quality of mother–infant interactions are important (especially in the 1st year post-partum), given the significant long-term impact they have on behaviour and neurodevelopment. Abbreviations ANOVA: analysis of variance; ART: antiretroviral therapy; CBCL: Child Behavioral Checklist; CES-D: Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; CHEI: children HIV-exposed and infected; CHER: Children with HIV Early Antiretroviral Treatment Trial; CHEU: children HIV-exposed and uninfected; CHUU: children HIV-unexposed and -uninfected; GMDS: Griffiths Mental Development Scales; HIV: human immunodeficiency virus; LMIC: low- and middle-income countries; m-ADBB: modified Alarm Distress Baby Scale; NRF: National Research Foundation; SAMRC: South African Medical Research Council; WHO: World Health Organization