“…In addition, depressive symptoms may distort mothers' perceptions of their children's behavior, making them vulnerable to negative thoughts, such as thinking that their children do not appreciate their efforts or do not wish to be close to them (Callender, Olson, Choe, & Sameroff, 2012). Furthermore, depressive symptoms make it more challenging for mothers to be sensitive to their children's needs and to provide warmth and consistent, nonharsh discipline (Dette-Hagenmeyer & Reichle, 2014; Lovejoy et al, 2000), something children need in order to prevent their conduct problems from intensifying (Patterson et al, 1992). Evidence that treatment for maternal depression has positive effects on children's conduct problems (e.g., Cuijpers, Weitz, Karyotaki, Garber, & Andersson, 2015), further supports the causal link between maternal depressive symptoms and children's conduct problems.…”