ArticleJournal of family psychology : JFP : journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43)2025
Prenatal stress and infant sleep: The role of maternal emotional distress and sensitive behavior.
Article in Journal of family psychology : JFP : journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- A within-person analysis of the links between infant temperament, parenting, and sleep during the first year of life.Infant behavior & development · 2026Article
- Prenatal stress and infant sleep: The role of maternal emotional distress and sensitive behavior.Journal of family psychology : JFP : journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43) · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
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Abstract
The association between prenatal stress factors and infant sleep has been examined in the literature, however, the mechanisms explaining this association remain unclear. The present study examined the indirect association between prenatal stress and infant sleep problems via maternal emotional distress and maternal sensitivity in distress-eliciting context in a three-wave longitudinal study that followed 299 mothers from pregnancy until the infants were 6 months old. Expectant mothers reported demographics, prenatal stress (i.e., stressful life events, neighborhood violence, income) and emotional distress (i.e., depressive symptoms, trait anxiety, emotion regulation difficulties, and personality characteristics) Prior to the 2-month laboratory visit, mothers reported their depressive symptoms and state anxiety. During the 2- and 6-month laboratory visits, maternal sensitivity in distress-eliciting context was assessed during the still-face episode of the still-face paradigm. Mothers reported infant sleep problems at 6 months. Consistent with hypotheses, prenatal stress predicted higher perinatal emotional distress which in turn was significantly associated with lower maternal sensitivity. Further, maternal sensitivity was significantly associated with fewer infant sleep problems. The indirect pathway from prenatal stress to infant sleep problems via elevated maternal emotional distress and compromised maternal sensitivity was statistically significant. The findings affirm the need for policies and interventions to better support mothers exposed to prenatal stress and/or experiencing emotional distress to ensure optimal infant sleep outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).
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