Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Parenting of Children From Birth to 12 Years

Maternal depression, especially in the early years of child development, affects parenting behaviors that have been repeatedly linked to poor outcomes in children. However, recurrent maternal depression may be a more potent predictor of parenting than depression that only occurs in the early years. Longitudinal population data were used to examine the influence of depression in the first 2 years postpartum alone or in combination with recurrent episodes of depression on self-reported parenting behaviors known to influence children’s development. Growth curve hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine the relationships among depression in the early years, recurrent depression, and parenting during children’s first 12 years of life. Findings revealed that 63% of the depressed mothers reported recurrent episodes of depression. Self-reported parenting behaviors characterized by positive forms of discipline, firmness, and consistency were related to recurrent episodes of depression, whereas warmth and nurturant parenting behaviors were unaffected by recurrent episodes.