Anxiety, depression, and hostility in mothers of preterm infants.

Anxiety, depression, and hostility in 47 mothers of high-risk preterm infants were tested at the time of infant discharge and when the infant was 9 months old. Mothers of these high-risk preterms were significantly more anxious and depressed before their infant was discharged than when the infant was 9 months old. Before infant discharge, multiparas were significantly more depressed than primiparas. Additionally, mothers whose infants remained in the hospital longer than the mean of 51 days were significantly less depressed at infant discharge than were mothers whose infants had shorter hospital stays. Maternal anxiety, depression, and hostility did not differ based on marital status, maternal education, socioeconomic status, or maternal age at the time of infant discharge or when the infant was 9 months old.