Barcelona, October 9, 2023 – Approximately one-third of new mothers face challenges in bonding with their newborns, often resulting in emotional distress for both mother and child. However, a pioneering approach offers a ray of hope.
In a recent study presented at the ECNP Congress in Barcelona, researchers explored the potential of emotional recognition training for expectant mothers, particularly those deemed at high risk of postpartum depression. The training aimed to enhance their ability to discern and respond to infant emotions accurately. The outcomes of this innovative approach revealed significant improvements in the mothers’ capacity to identify joyful baby expressions, consequently reflecting more happiness in their own facial expressions while exhibiting reduced reactivity to signs of infant distress.
The study’s preliminary findings suggest that emotional cognitive training may hold promise in mitigating the risk of postpartum depression and enhancing the vital mother-infant bonding process.
Key Findings:
Emotional Recognition Training: High-risk expectant mothers underwent training designed to shift their perception from a somewhat negative outlook on ambiguous baby expressions to a more positive one.
Positive Post-Training Outcomes: Following the training regimen, mothers exhibited an enhanced ability to recognize happy baby expressions, manifested increased joyful facial expressions themselves, and displayed reduced reactions to indicators of infant distress.
Potential Reduction in Postpartum Depression: Improved recognition of positive baby expressions and the regulated emotional responses to infant distress among mothers could potentially lower the risk of postpartum depression.
This groundbreaking research, presented by Dr. Anne Bjertrup at the Psychiatric Centre Copenhagen-NEAD Centre in Denmark, sheds light on the pivotal role emotional cognitive processes may play in preventing postpartum depression and fostering healthier emotional development for infants.
The study encompassed 45 expectant mothers from hospitals in Copenhagen, with 23 of them categorized as high-risk due to a history of depression and a potential difficulty in bonding with their infants. The remaining 22 participants had no history of depression and were considered low risk.
At the study’s outset, all participants underwent assessments to gauge their responses to various “baby emotions.” The high-risk group then engaged in a series of computer-based training sessions aimed at equipping them with the tools to manage challenging emotions. After two weeks, the researchers reassessed the participants.
Dr. Bjertrup emphasized the objective of the training, stating, “We tried to make sure that the women could accurately recognize the emotion a baby was showing and visualize how to properly respond to these emotions.”
Post-training, the high-risk group demonstrated a significantly improved ability to recognize happiness in babies, exhibited more joyful facial expressions, and reacted less to signs of infant distress.
Dr. Bjertrup underscored the significance of the findings, stating, “This means that if we can train expecting mothers to be more sensitive to happy expressions and give them back control over their emotional reaction toward baby distress, it might reduce the risk of postpartum depression. This not only benefits the mother but also contributes to a healthier emotional development for the baby.”
However, Dr. Bjertrup cautioned that these results are preliminary and should be interpreted with caution. A larger trial, including a control group, is currently underway to further investigate the potential of emotional cognitive processes in preventing postpartum depression and improving mother-infant bonding.
In the European Union alone, over 4 million births occur annually, making the issue of bonding problems between mothers and babies a significant concern. Failure to bond can have enduring consequences for both mother and child, affecting their ability to develop secure attachments and emotional well-being.
Dr. Bjertrup also emphasized that bonding challenges can arise from various factors, not solely from postpartum depression or mental illness. She noted, “A mother might not have immediate bonding feelings yet can still respond sensitively and appropriately to her infant’s emotions and cues.”
Dr. Mijke Lambregtse-van den Berg, an Infant Mental Health Specialist at Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, commended the study, highlighting its potential impact on preventing postpartum depression and reinforcing positive mother-child interactions. Dr. Lambregtse-van den Berg provided independent commentary on the study and was not directly involved in the research.
