Infant Colic and Maternal Mental Health: Nursing Research and Practice Concerns

Abstract

This study compared the mental health of 12 mothers who had infants with colic to 12 mothers of infants without colic. Colic was defined as infant fussing/crying of at least 2 hours/day for at least 5 out of 7 days, infant cry high-pitched and pain-sounding, and maternal report of infant inconsolability. Mental health was operationalized as scores on the Profile of Mood States and the Symptom Checklist-90R. Mothers of infants with colic had multidimensional psychological distress; they reported more bodily dysfunction, fears, disordered thinking, depression, anxiety, fatigue, hostility, impulsive thoughts and actions; and they had stronger feelings of personal inadequacy or inferiority. Implications for nursing research and practice are discussed in the context of study findings.