Maternal cognitive and affective empathy related to preschoolers' emotional-behavioral problems: moderation of maternal depression.

BACKGROUND

Low maternal cognitive empathy and higher affective empathy have been linked to increased emotional-behavioral problems (EBPs) in young children, but it remains unclear whether the associations are distinct according to maternal depression. This study aims to explore the moderating role of maternal depression in the association between maternal empathy and EBPs in preschoolers.

METHODS

Cross-sectional and representative data were from 19,965 Chinese preschoolers. Maternal cognitive and affective empathy and depression were evaluated with Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy and World Health Organization Five Well-Being Index, respectively. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was used to assess child EBPs.

RESULTS

Lower maternal cognitive empathy was associated with increased child EBPs (aOR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.96-0.97) with moderation of maternal depression (p = 0.002), and was slightly stronger in mothers at low risk for depression (aOR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.95-0.97). Higher maternal affective empathy was associated with increased child EBPs (aOR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.02-1.04), without significant moderation (p = 0.79).

CONCLUSIONS

Lower maternal cognitive empathy and higher affective empathy were associated with more EBPs in preschoolers. Maternal depression moderated only the cognitive empathy-EBPs association. Tailored strategies targeting maternal empathy according to various depression levels should be considered in clinical practices.

IMPACT

We found lower maternal cognitive empathy and higher maternal affective empathy were associated with more emotional-behavioral problems (EBPs) in a large-scale and representative sample of preschoolers in Shanghai. We demonstrated the moderating role of maternal depression in the association between maternal cognitive empathy and EBPs in preschoolers, with the association being slightly stronger in mothers at low risk for depression than in mothers with depressive symptoms. The study highlights that, aside from maternal depression, promoting interventions on inappropriate maternal empathy may confer significant benefits on the psychological well-being of preschool children.