The Association Between Exposure to Maternal Depression During Year 2 of a Child's Life and Future Child Problem Behavior

Overview

Journal Matern Child Health J

Specialty Health Services

Date 2020 Nov 13

PMID 33185826

Citations 1

Authors

Natalie Guerrero

Ronald Gangnon

Marah A Curtis

Carmen R Valdez

Deborah B Ehrenthal

Elizabeth A Jacobs

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Introduction: We examined the association of exposure to maternal depression during year 2 of a child's life with future child problem behavior. We conducted a secondary analysis to investigate whether race/ethnicity is a moderator of this relationship.

Methods: We used Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study data (age 3 N = 3288 and 49% Black, 26% Hispanic, 22% non-Hispanic White; age 5 N = 3001 and 51% Black, 25% Hispanic, 21% non-Hispanic White; age 9 N = 3630 and 50% Black, 25% Hispanic, 21% non-Hispanic White) and ordinal logistic regression to model problem behavior at ages 3, 5, and 9 on maternal depression status during year 2.

Results: At age 9, children whose mother was depressed during year 2 were significantly more likely to have higher internalizing (AOR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.42,2.61) and externalizing (AOR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.10,2.48) problem behavior scores. In our secondary analysis, race/ethnicity did not have moderating effects, potentially due to a limitation of the data that required use of maternal self-reported race/ethnicity as a proxy for child race/ethnicity.

Discussion: Exposure to maternal depression after the prenatal and perinatal periods may have a negative association with children's behavioral development through age 9. Interventions that directly target maternal depression during this time should be developed. Additional research is needed to further elucidate the role of race/ethnicity in the relationship between maternal depression and child problem behavior.

Citing Articles

Relationship between parental mental health and developmental disorders in early childhood.

Bagur S, Paz-Lourido B, Mut-Amengual B, Verger S Health Soc Care Community. 2022; 30(6):e4840-e4849.

PMID: 35762200 PMC: 10084383. DOI: 10.1111/hsc.13891.

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