Maternal stress and depression and the lateralisation of infant cradling

  1. Nadja Reissland1,
  2. Brian Hopkins2,3,
  3. Peter Helms4,
  4. Bob Williams1

Article first published online: 22 AUG 2007

DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2007.01791.x

Issue

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry

Volume 50, Issue 3, pages 263–269, March 2009

Additional Information

How to Cite

Reissland, N., Hopkins, B., Helms, P. and Williams, B. (2009), Maternal stress and depression and the lateralisation of infant cradling. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 50: 263–269. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2007.01791.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    University of Durham, UK

  2. 2

    Centre for Research in Human Development, Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, UK

  3. 3

    Human Movement Science Programme, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway

  4. 4

    University of Aberdeen, UK

*Nadja Reissland, Department of Psychology, University of Durham, Science Site, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK; Tel: 0044 (0)1913343287; Fax: 0044 (0)191334 3241; Email: n.n.reissland@durham.ac.uk

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 11 MAR 2009
  2. Article first published online: 22 AUG 2007
  3. Manuscript accepted 9 May 2007

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Keywords:

  • Lateralisation of holding infants;
  • maternal depression;
  • maternal stress;
  • parent–child interaction

Background:  Studies show that 65–85% of mothers cradle their infants to the left side of their body, but that this bias changes with maternal mood and stress. The present study examines the hypothesis that maternal stress and depression status will influence the cradling bias differentially.

Method:  As part of a larger study on mother–infant interaction, mothers (N = 79) were asked to pick up and briefly hold their children in their arms (44 boys, 35 girls; mean age 7.2 months, range 3 to 14 months).

Results:  Results indicated that 86% of mothers who were neither stressed nor depressed cradled to the left and 14% to the right. Comparing the cradling side of stressed mothers with those who were neither stressed nor depressed, more in the former group showed right-sided cradling. In contrast, mothers who were just depressed preferred to cradle to the left.

Conclusion:  The lack of a left-sided cradling bias might be due to stress rather than depression experienced by mothers.

Furthermore, this study provides evidence that the state of maternal mental health might be indicated by the side on which they cradle their child preferentially.

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