In studying disturbed interactions of depressed mothers and their newborns, it has helped us realize the importance of early interactions with infants that can effect later development. Infants who interact with depressed mothers (particularly chronically depressed mothers) have a higher risk for later negative social interaction and behavioral problems.

Depressed behavior in mothers is related to affective and disturbances in infants (Abrams, Field, Scafidi, & Prodromidis, 1995). Depressed mothers and their infants also appear to share negative affective behavior states more often than non-depressed dyads (Abrams, et al,1995). Along with exhibiting fewer positive facial expressions, infants of depressed mothers vocalize less frequently than infants of non-depressed mothers. Videotapes of depressed mothers and their infants interacting in face-to-face situations when coded second by second suggest that depressed mothers spend less time looking at their infants, touching them and talking to them, and they show few positive faces and more negative faces (Field, 1995). Because of this, infants have lower activity levels as well as less vocalization. They also tend to look away more frequentl

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To measure their behavior-state matching the attentive/affective behavior states of three-month-old infants and their mothers were coded on a negative-to-positive scale (Field, 1995). The data suggested that the depressed mothers and their infants matched negative behavior states more often and less positive behavior states less often than the non-depressed dyads. The depressed dyads spent a greater amount of time together in negative states. In contrast, the non-depressed mother-infant dyads spent more time in playful states together. The infants of depressed mothers' greater emphasis to their mothers' negative behavior imply that the infants may be mimicking their mothers' predominant mood state. In another sample, cross-spectral analyses of the mothers' and infants' behavior and heart rate time series suggested greater coherence in the mother-infant states in non-depressed dyads (Smith, Schwartz, Mandell, Silberstein, Dalack, & Sacks, 1969). Greater coherence was noted in !

Another technique for altering the mother's sensitivity to her infant's cues and for improving the mother-infant interaction is called interacting coaching. One of the most effective interaction coaching techniques is maternal imitation of infant behavior. During this technique, the mother becomes less active and more sensitive to her infant's cues of being under or over aroused. The infant then becomes more attentive and responsive.

Studies have shown that newborns of depressed mothers were known to perform more poorly on the Brazelton Neonatal Assessment Scale. Infants of depressed mothers also showed less motor tone and activity and more irritability and less robustness and endurance. Specifically, on the inanimate stimuli, they did not localize the sound of shaking rattle or tracking a moving bell compared to newborns of non-depressed mothers (Smith, et al, 1969). Because they responded less adequately to the inanimate stimuli, their

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