Perinatal trauma and mother-child bonding
Prof. Susan Garthus-Niegel, together with Lydia Rihm, Ariane Göbel (PhD), Franciska Rehberg, Freya Thiel, Verena Büechl and Manon Even (ISM), has published a systematic review and meta-analysis on the significance of perinatal post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for mother-child bonding.
The paper, published in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders, covers the results of 22 studies with a total of 9,472 participants, examining the relationship between general PTSD symptoms (gPTSD, i.e. PTSD symptoms not caused by childbirth that occur in the period up to 12 months after childbirth) and birth-related PTSD symptoms (gb-PTSD, i.e. PTSD symptoms caused by a traumatic birth) and mother-child bonding (i.e. the emotional connection that mothers experience with their child). The results of the meta-analysis show that perinatal PTSD symptoms – both general and birth-related PTSD – are associated with weaker bonding with the child. The observed effects were predominantly small to moderate and slightly stronger for gbPTSD than for gPTSD. In addition, the analysis suggests that depressive symptoms and general psychological stress may partially explain these associations.
The authors therefore emphasise the need for further research to better understand differences between PTSD subtypes and to develop targeted interventions to strengthen early mother-child bonding.
- Further information can be found in the article:
Rehberg, F., Rihm, L., Göbel, A., Thiel, F., Büechl, V., Even, M., & Garthus-Niegel, S. (2025). Perinatal PTSD and the mother-infant bond: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Anxiety Disorders.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2025.103050
Dr. Deeksha Malhan, Dr. Müge Yalcin, and Prof. Angela Relógio (ISM), together with colleagues from the NobodyToldMe by sisu health GmbH and University of Würzburg, published a prospective study investigating circadian rhythms as a health indicator in women’s aging.
The circadian clock regulates vital physiological processes, including sleep-wake cycles, metabolism, hormone secretion, and immune function. While these rhythms are essential for maintaining overall health, they differ between men and women due to hormonal fluctuations and genetic factors. These differences become particularly pronounced during aging and menopause among women, when circadian disruptions can contribute to symptoms like insomnia, mood changes, and metabolic imbalances.
This study will contribute to the growing field of circadian medicine, offering new insights into how timing-based lifestyle interventions can support healthy aging in women.
Prof. Dr. Susan Garthus-Niegel (ISM) and Ariane Göbel, PhD (ISM), have published a research article together with colleagues on the association between depressive symptoms, bonding, and child development in BMC Pediatrics.
Together with colleagues from TU Dresden, Prof. Dr. Susan Garthus-Niegel and Ariane Göbel, PhD (ISM), examine how parent–child bonding influences the relationship between pre- and postnatal depressive symptoms and child development 14 months after birth. Depressive symptoms during pregnancy and after childbirth are among the most common mental health challenges for expectant parents, and previous research has shown that maternal depression can negatively affect a child’s emotional and cognitive development, whereas paternal symptoms have been studied less extensively.
The study investigates whether depressive symptoms during and after pregnancy influence child development and whether this association is mediated by parents’ emotional bond with their child. The analyses are based on data from 1,178 mothers and 743 fathers from the Dresden Study on Parenting, Work and Mental Health (DREAM). Using several questionnaires, the researchers assessed depressive symptoms, bonding, child development, and additional control variables.
The results indicate a small but significant indirect association between prenatal depressive symptoms and child development mediated by parent–child bonding, observed in both mothers and fathers; however, this effect disappeared once postnatal depressive symptoms were included in the models. In addition, an unexpected direct effect emerged: among mothers, higher levels of prenatal depressive symptoms were directly associated with better child development, while further factors such as preterm birth, child’s sex, and social support were also taken into account.
The authors emphasize that depressive symptoms can affect parents’ emotional adjustment to their new role and their experience of bonding with their child, underscoring the importance of early support during pregnancy and the inclusion of both parents in research and clinical practice. Further details can be found in the published article: Göbel, A., Hilpert, C., Weise, V., Mack, J. T., & Garthus-Niegel, S. (2025). The mediating role of parent–child bonding for the prospective association of prenatal depressive symptoms with child development at 14 months postpartum. BMC Pediatrics, 25(1), 424.
Prof. Dr. Susan Garthus-Niegel (ISM) and Ariane Göbel, PhD (ISM), have co-authored an editorial with colleagues on research into perinatal anxiety and depressive disorders.
Together with Prof. Dr. Eva Asselmann (HMU) and Prof. Dr. Julia Martini (TU Dresden), Prof. Dr. Susan Garthus-Niegel (ISM) and Ariane Göbel, PhD (ISM), have published an editorial in the Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology. The article discusses current findings and future perspectives on the study of anxiety and depressive disorders in the perinatal period and their transmission across generations.
Numerous studies show that mental disorders are common among expectant parents and can affect children’s mental health, but comparability of findings on transmission mechanisms is limited due to the heterogeneity of symptoms, course, and comorbidity during the perinatal period. The authors argue that long-term, sufficiently large studies are needed to better understand the links between parental mental health problems and child development, ideally following children into adolescence and examining a broad spectrum of mental disorders.
They highlight the importance of standardized diagnostic procedures and the use of digital technologies for data collection, as well as the need for harmonized research approaches across studies. In addition, they emphasize the role of individual and contextual factors such as family relationships, gender, age, and social conditions, and call for more research into generational and societal influences, including the roles of fathers, grandparents, and cultural and social environments.
Finally, the authors stress that future research should not only focus on risks but also on protective and resilience factors, in order to promote mental health across generations and inform targeted prevention and support measures. Further details and specific recommendations can be found in the published article: Martini, J., Göbel, A., Garthus-Niegel, S., & Asselmann, E. (2025). Future perspectives for research on perinatal anxiety and depressive disorders and their transgenerational transmission. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, 43(4), 827–830.
Prof. Dr. Jutta Peterburs (ISM) gave a talk in October 2025 at “The Neuro” – the renowned Montreal Neurological Institute – as part of the “Feindel Mind and Brain Lecture Series.”
A new prospective study conducted by researchers from the ISM and their colleagues contributes to the growing field of circadian medicine and provides new insights into how time-based lifestyle interventions can support healthy ageing in women.
From 21 to 23 November, the research group led by Prof. Dr. Angela Relógio, together with medical students, took part in the e:Med 2024 conference and contributed to discussions on systems medicine and personalized healthcare.
Prof. Dr. Jutta Peterburs and Dr. Annakarina Mundorf (ISM), together with researchers from HHU Düsseldorf, have published an article in the journal Psychological Research on the impact of emotions on Pavlovian bias in feedback-based learning.
