Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; Owerko Centre, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Canada.
Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada; Owerko Centre, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Canada.
J Affect Disord. 2021 May 15;287:397-404. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.03.056. Epub 2021 Mar 26.
An intergenerational association between maternal depression and child emotional problems is well established. However, the underlying processes underpinning this association are still unclear, with relatively little attention paid to potential child-driven effects. This study adds to existing research by examining the bidirectional processes between maternal depression, parenting, and child internalizing symptoms.
A large prospective pregnancy cohort was used (N = 1992). Mothers reported on their depressive symptoms, hostile parenting, child internalizing symptoms, and child effortful control. Data was collected during pregnancy, and at 4 months, 3 years, and 5 years postpartum.
Using a cross-lag analytical approach, results revealed that prenatal and postpartum maternal depression predicted child internalizing problems through an increase in hostile parenting. Child internalizing symptoms predicted increases in subsequent hostile parenting, but not maternal depressive symptoms. Additional moderation analyses revealed that the indirect effect of maternal depression on child internalizing problems through hostile parenting was only significant for children low in effortful control.
The study relied on maternal reports of both mother and child symptomology and characteristics. The sample was predominantly white and middle- to high-income.
Hostile parenting is a potential intermediary mechanism explaining the intergenerational transmission of maternal depression to child internalizing problems. Critically, this indirect effect was only significant for children low in effortful control. There was limited support for child evocative effects, with child internalizing symptoms predicting subsequent hostile parenting but not maternal depressive symptoms. Results highlight the need for considering both maternal and child characteristics when treating maternal depression.
母亲抑郁与儿童情绪问题之间存在代际关联，这一现象已得到充分证实。然而，这一关联背后的潜在机制仍不清楚，对潜在的儿童驱动效应关注较少。本研究通过考察母亲抑郁、育儿方式和儿童内化症状之间的双向关系，为现有研究做出了补充。
本研究使用了一个大型前瞻性妊娠队列（N=1992）。母亲报告了她们的抑郁症状、敌意育儿方式、儿童内化症状和儿童努力控制能力。数据在怀孕期间以及产后 4 个月、3 年和 5 年收集。
使用交叉滞后分析方法，结果表明，产前和产后母亲的抑郁症状通过增加敌意育儿方式预测了儿童的内化问题。儿童内化症状预测了随后敌意育儿方式的增加，但不能预测母亲抑郁症状的增加。进一步的调节分析表明，母亲抑郁通过敌意育儿方式对儿童内化问题的间接影响仅在努力控制能力低的儿童中显著。
研究依赖于母亲对母亲和儿童症状和特征的报告。样本主要是白人和中高收入人群。
敌意育儿方式是解释母亲抑郁向儿童内化问题代际传递的潜在中介机制。重要的是，这种间接效应仅在努力控制能力低的儿童中显著。儿童唤起效应的支持有限，儿童内化症状预测随后的敌意育儿方式，但不能预测母亲抑郁症状。研究结果强调了在治疗母亲抑郁时需要同时考虑母亲和儿童的特征。
