Work

Intergenerational effects of maternal depression and co-occurring antisocial behaviors: The mediating role of parenting-related processes.

Year: 2022

Type: article

Abstract: Co-occurring maternal depression and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) are associated with the development of psychopathology in children, yet little is known about risk mechanisms. In a sample of 122 racially diverse and economically disadvantaged families, we prospectively investigated (a) to what extent child socioemotional problems were related to maternal depression-only, ASPD-only, or the co-occurrence of both and (b) specificity in parenting-related mechanisms linking single-type or comorbid maternal psychopathology to child outcomes at age 3. Compared to mothers without either ASPD or depression, exposure to maternal depression-only and comorbid depression/ASPD predicted child problems as a function of greater parenting stress and lower maternal sensitivity. Mothers with comorbid depression/ASPD uniquely exhibited more negative parenting and had children with more socioemotional problems than mothers with depression-only. Compared to mothers with neither ASPD nor depression, mothers with depression-only uniquely impacted child difficulties via lower maternal efficacy. Study findings suggest areas of parenting intervention. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Source: Journal of Family Psychology

DOI: 10.1037/fam0001021

Authors: Justin Russotti, Hannah Swerbenski, Elizabeth D. Handley, Louisa C. Michl-Petzing, Dante Cicchetti, Sheree L. Toth

Language: English

Topic: Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: National Institute of Mental Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

Awards: G1092867783, G2070013756, Prevention for Infants of Low-Income Depressed Mothers, G7003947751