Self‐criticism, maternal emotional distress, and maternal hostility among Bedouin mothers with preterm infants

This study examined the links between maternal self-criticism, maternal postpartum emotional distress (PPED), and maternal non-hostility among Arab-Bedouin mothers living in southern Israel. We proposed a moderated mediation model in which self-criticism would be related to PPED, which, in turn would be related to maternal non-hostility. One hundred five Arab-Bedouin mothers and their preterm (n = 48) and full-term (n = 57) infants were recruited shortly after birth and were followed up when infants were 6 months old (corrected for prematurity). The self-report measures were done shortly after birth, and, the measurement of observation was done at the 6-month visit. Findings demonstrated evidence for a moderated mediation model in which higher levels of maternal self-criticism correlated over time with higher levels of maternal PPED, and this, in turn, predicted lower levels of maternal non-hostility. This model was found only among the preterm group.