Interaction Effects between Maternal Lifetime Depressive/Anxiety Disorders and Correlates of Children’s Externalizing Symptoms

Abstract

We investigated the interaction effects between mother's lifetime depressive/anxiety disorders and psychosocial correlates of 6 to 11 year-old children's selfreported externalizing symptoms in the Quebec Child Mental Health Survey. A representative subsample of 1,490 Quebec children aged 6 to 11 years was selected from the original sample. We conducted multiple linear regression analyses using externalizing symptoms as reported by children through the Dominic questionnaire and multiple child, family and socioeconomic characteristics. Two variables interacted significantly with mother's lifetime depressive/anxiety disorders to predict 6 to 11 year-old children's self-reported externalizing symptoms: physical/sexual abuse and mother's caring behaviours. Results underline the main contribution of motherchild relationship and stressful events in the association between mother's lifetime depressive/anxiety disorders and children's externalizing symptoms. It is suggested to develop preventive intervention programs oriented towards children of lifetime depressed/anxious parents who also report parent-child relational difficulties.

Analysis of Studies on Social Support and Children of Depressed Mothers: A Systematic Review

“…Only one study (Piché et al, 2011) did not find correlations among social support, maternal depression, and child behavioral problems, psychopathologies or both; however, this study addressed many clinical, social, and familial variables. These authors reported that the contextual risk factors related to negative parental practices expressed by fewer maternal punishments were associated with fewer externalizing behavioral problems in children.…”

“…The trajectories of maternal depression with regard to severity and chronicity (Ashman et al, 2008;Campbell et al, 2007;Fatori et al, 2013;Gross et al, 2009;Parent, Jones, Forehand, Cuellar, & Shoulberg, 2013;Wang et al, 2013;Zanca, Pizeta, Osório, & Loureiro, 2013) and the presence of comorbidities, especially those related to anxiety (Barker & Maughan, 2009;Boyd & Tervo-Clemmens, 2013;Fatori et al, 2013;Karevold et al, 2009;Lau, Rijsdijk, Gregory, McGuffin, & Eley, 2007;Mickelson & Demmings, 2009;Piché, Bergeron, Cyr, & Berthiaume, 2011), were identified as contextual risk factors for maternal clinical conditions. Twelve studies addressed negative parental practices including negligence, physical and psychological abuse, lax discipline, inconsistent punishment, and negative monitoring.…”

“…Twelve studies addressed negative parental practices including negligence, physical and psychological abuse, lax discipline, inconsistent punishment, and negative monitoring. Five of these studies focused on negligence (Criss et al, 2009;Foster et al, 2008;Gerkensmeyer, Perkins, Day, et al, 2011;Gerkensmeyer, Perkins, Scott, et al, 2008;Hart et al, 2008), four focused on punishment (Barker & Maughan, 2009;Fatori et al, 2013;Piché et al, 2011;Wang et al, 2013), and one focused on abuse (Piché et al, 2011). Most of the studies assessed at least two contextual risk factors, and all studies examined between one and five variables.…”

“…Of the eight cross-sectional studies, only one did not find an association between social support and child behavioral problems, psychopathologies, or both (Piché et al, 2011). This study addressed symptoms of maternal depression and anxiety, focusing on punitive maternal care (including physical and/or sexual abuse).…”

“…Regarding the informants, eight studies used the mother as the sole source of information (Anhalt et al, 2007;Barker & Maughan, 2009;Boyd & Tervo-Clemmens, 2013;Gerkensmeyer, Perkins, Day, et al, 2011;Gerkensmeyer, Perkins, Scott, et al, 2008;Goosby, 2007;Mickelson & Demmings, 2009;Zanca et al, 2013), and 13 studies did not specify the mothers' depression status at the time of data collection (Barker et al, 2012;Barker & Maughan, 2009;Brown et al, 2013;Criss et al, 2009;Dubois-Comtois et al, 2013;Goosby, 2007;Hart et al, 2008;Heberle et al, 2014;Karevold et al, 2009;Lau et al, 2007;Lengua et al, 2008;Piché et al, 2011;Wang et al, 2013). Because depressive symptoms may affect the quality of mothers' reports, implying a potential methodological problem that limits the validity of the information provided, 18 studies employed multiple respondents including not only mothers but also children, fathers, and teachers, which increased the validity of the findings.…”