Method: Depression and related problems were studied in a sample of 283 university students. Results: The students with high depression scores also had high scores on anxiety, intrusive thoughts, controlling intrusive thoughts and sleep disturbances scales. A stepwise regression suggested that those problems contributed to a significant proportion…

The Problem: Problems that might be expected to affect perceived academic performance were studied in a sample of 283 university students. Results: Breakup Distress Scale scores, less time since the breakup and no new relationship contributed to 16% of the variance on perceived academic performance. Variables that were related to academic…

Method: University students who experienced a recent romantic breakup were given several self-report measures and were then divided into high versus low breakup distress groups. Results: The high breakup distress versus the low breakup distress groups had higher scores on negative emotions scales including depression, anxiety and anger and…

A sample of 750 women were interviewed during pregnancy on their depression and anxiety symptoms, substance use and demographic variables. A subsample was seen again at the neonatal stage (n = 152), and their infants were observed for sleep-wake behavior. Symptoms of depression and anxiety were related to caffeine use. Mothers who consumed more…

This review briefly summarizes recent empirical research on touch. The research includes the role of touch in early development, touch deprivation, touch aversion, emotions that can be conveyed by touch, the importance of touch for interpersonal relationships and how friendly touch affects compliance in different situations. MRI data are reviewed…

This review of the literature on two different interaction styles of depressed mothers, intrusive and withdrawn, shows that withdrawn versus intrusive mothers typically have an EEG pattern that is associated with negative affect (i.e., greater relative right frontal EEG activation) as well as lower levels of the activating neurotransmitter,…

Forty infants (mean age 5 months) of depressed mothers and non-depressed mothers were seated in an infant seat and were exposed to four different degrees of animation, including a still-face Raggedy Ann doll (about two-feet tall suspended in front of the infant), the same doll in an animated state talking and head-nodding, an imitative mother and…

A total of 73 three- to six-month-old infants of depressed and nondepressed mothers were videotaped in face-to-face interactions with their mothers and with nondepressed female strangers. Depressed mothers and their infants received lower ratings on all behaviors than did nondepressed dyads. (SKC)

Facial expressions were examined in 84 3-month-old infants of mothers classified as depressed, nondepressed, or low scoring on the Beck Depression Inventory. Infants of both depressed and low-scoring mothers showed significantly more sadness and anger expressions and fewer interest expressions than infants of nondepressed mothers. (Author/MDM)

Depressed (n = 110) and nondepressed (n = 104) mothers were given a set of self-report measures, including the CES-D (depression), the STAI (anxiety), the STAXI (anger), the Perinatal Anxieties and Attitudes Scale, a questionnaire on substance use and the Feelings About Pregnancy and Delivery Scale that was designed for this study and that…

Assessed behavior-state matching and synchrony in interactions in 48 depressed and nondepressed mother-infant dyads when infants were 3 months old. Depressed mothers and their infants matched negative behavior states more often and positive behavior states less often than did nondepressed dyads. (RH)

Female bulimic inpatients (N=24) were randomly assigned to massage therapy or standard treatment group. Massaged patients showed immediate reductions in anxiety and depression; additional improvements were noted by the last day of therapy. Massage therapy is shown to be effective as an adjunct treatment for bulimia. (Author/EMK)

Fourteen chronically depressed female adolescents listened to rock music for a 23-minute session. EEG was recorded and saliva samples were collected to determine the effects of the music on stress hormone cortisol levels. No differences were reported for mood state; however, cortisol levels decreased and relative right-frontal activation was…

Interviewed depressed and non-depressed mothers on their breastfeeding practices and perceptions of their infants' feeding behavior. Found that, compared to non-depressed mothers, depressed mothers breast fed less often, stopped breastfeeding earlier, and scored lower on a breastfeeding confidence scale. Mothers who breastfed rather than bottle…

Brain electrical activity (electroencephalogram; EEG) was recorded in a sample of low-income, black, and Hispanic mothers with and without depression and their three- to six-month-old infants. A greater number of mothers with depression and their infants versus mothers without depression and their infants displayed right frontal EEG asymmetry.…