ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0001-1888-1585
Date of Award
Winter 2026
Language
English
Embargo Period
12-30-2027
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
College/School/Department
Department of Psychology
Program
Clinical Psychology
First Advisor
Betty Lin
Committee Members
Sarah Domoff
Keywords
cognitive development, prenatal stress, maternal sensitivity, infant development
Subject Categories
Clinical Psychology
Abstract
Maternal stressful life events experienced during pregnancy may influence infant postnatal developmental and cognitive outcomes. However, less is known about how factors like infant sex and age of cognitive assessment may influence their associations. The current study investigated the relations between prenatal stress, infant birth outcomes, infant cognitive development, and the potential moderating role of maternal sensitivity. Longitudinal data from 322 low income, Mexican American mother infant dyads were examined during prenatal, 12-month, and 24-month time periods. Mothers self-reported prenatal stress during pregnancy, and infants’ cognitive development was assessed at both 12 months and 24 months. Birth outcomes (birth weight and gestational age) were obtained from hospital birth records. Results indicated that more maternal sensitivity was associated with higher cognitive development scores. Further, associations between prenatal stress and cognitive development depended on maternal sensitivity, such that prenatal stress was only associated with higher cognitive scores at 24 months at low levels of maternal sensitivity. While birth outcomes were not found to mediate these relations, females with poorer birth outcomes did have significantly poorer cognitive development. Results suggest that maternal sensitivity may support early infant cognitive development and underscore the importance of examining potential enduring and latent effects across the infancy and early childhood period.
License
This work is licensed under the University at Albany Standard Author Agreement.
Recommended Citation
Little, Paige, "Cognitive Development Following Prenatal Stress: The Role of Maternal Sensitivity" (2026). Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present). 350.
https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/etd/350