The Negative Effects of Maternal Postpartum Depression on Infant Directed Speech (IDS) and Infant Cognitive Ability

Abstract

The language used by caregivers plays an essential role in the development of an infant’s language and cognitive ability. This refers to both the quality and the quantity of language used by the caregiver. In cases where the primary caregiver is a mother who is suffering from maternal postpartum depression, the quality and quantity of speech and language used to suffer greatly. This article examines how maternal postpartum depression negatively affects a mother’s use of Infant Directed Speech (IDS) and how this results in delayed language learning in infants. It first seeks to define the linguistic and emotional aspects of IDS in order to place maternal depression in its context. It then examines how children are negatively impacted by this and briefly looks at gender influences and possible solutions for this problem. This study makes use of and combines the results of previous research conducted on varying aspects of the effects of maternal postpartum depression on IDS and infant cognitive ability. The studies used tracked the cognitive developments of infants ranging from 2 months to 4 years of age; They each collected data from infants who had depressed and non-depressed mothers. In all cases, the results showed that maternal postpartum depression negatively affects IDS and infant cognitive ability.