The aim of this longitudinal study was to compare the developmental outcomes of preterm infants allocated into two different groups taking into account the presence (G1) or lack (G2) of mothers' anxiety and depression symptoms during the neonatal period of the babies. The sample was based on 32 preterm infants who had a psychological follow up from the NICU internship period the end of first year of life. Group 1 included 11 infants and mothers with clinical anxiety and depression symptoms and Group 2 included 21 infants and mothers without clinical symptoms (control group). The infants were assessed by the Denver-II Test and Infant Scale of Development and Behavior and the mothers by the Inventory State- Trait Anxiety and Beck Depression Inventory. The children of both groups showed indicators of development on the first year of life classified as normal, regardless of the anxiety and depression symptoms of their mothers.
Preterm; maternal anxiety; maternal depression
