Mensah F K, Kiernan K E
Department of Social Policy and Social Work, University of York Institute for Effective Education, University of York, Heslington, York, UK.
Child Care Health Dev. 2011 Jan;37(1):44-54. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2214.2010.01150.x. Epub 2010 Oct 19.
Mothers often experience physical and psychological difficulties during the post-natal period and these may continue through the early years of raising children and have negative effects on engagement and caregiving. Pathways between maternal depression, parental engagement and caregiving and children's subsequent development have been described in longitudinal studies; yet, less is known about how other aspects of maternal health may influence children's development.
A longitudinal analysis within the Millennium Cohort Study was conducted including 7906 families from England. Maternal general health and psychological well-being were assessed when their children were 9 months and 3 years old, socio-demographic characteristics were assessed at 9 months, and engagement and caregiving were assessed at 3 years. These were examined as predictors of children's learning and development and behaviour at age 5.
There are clear associations between maternal general health and children's development with regard to both learning and development and behaviour. These effects are reduced if psychological distress is taken into account; yet, maternal general health maintains importance as a predictor for children's subsequent development. There is evidence of an association via engagement and caregiving which links maternal health to children's development and evidence of the influence of underlying socio-demographic disadvantage.
General maternal health as well as psychological well-being during the early years of raising children may be influential for children's development. This study suggests the need for a broader recognition of maternal health as well as psychological well-being as a foundation for family well-being, and speaks to support for mothers in maintaining engagement and caregiving for their children during periods of ill health.
母亲在产后经常会经历身体和心理上的困难，这些困难可能会持续到育儿的早期阶段，并对亲子互动和育儿产生负面影响。纵向研究已经描述了母亲抑郁、亲子互动和育儿与儿童后续发展之间的关系；然而，对于母亲健康的其他方面如何影响儿童发展，我们知之甚少。
在千禧队列研究中进行了一项纵向分析，纳入了来自英格兰的7906个家庭。当孩子9个月和3岁时，评估母亲的总体健康和心理健康状况，在9个月时评估社会人口统计学特征，在3岁时评估亲子互动和育儿情况。这些因素被作为5岁儿童学习、发展和行为的预测指标进行研究。
母亲的总体健康与儿童在学习、发展和行为方面的发展之间存在明显的关联。如果考虑到心理困扰，这些影响会减弱；然而，母亲的总体健康作为儿童后续发展的预测指标仍然很重要。有证据表明，通过亲子互动和育儿存在一种关联，将母亲的健康与儿童的发展联系起来，也有证据表明社会人口统计学方面的潜在不利因素会产生影响。
在育儿早期，母亲的总体健康以及心理健康状况可能会对儿童的发展产生影响。这项研究表明，需要更广泛地认识到母亲的健康以及心理健康是家庭幸福的基础，并呼吁在母亲健康不佳期间支持她们保持与孩子的互动和育儿。
