Young Latino children at risk for psychopathology: effects of maternal depressive symptoms on child behavior

Young Latino children at risk for psychopathology: effects of maternal depressive symptoms on child behavior Public Deposited

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Martínez, María Isabel
- Affiliation: College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience

Abstract

Children of recently immigrated Latina mothers are at increased risk for adverse outcomes associated with elevated maternal depressive symptoms due to contextual factors related to immigration and ethnic minority status. Few studies have examined the relationship between maternal depression and early child behavior in this population. In the current study, recently immigrated Latina mothers from low socio-economic backgrounds with limited English proficiency and a child in Early Head Start completed baseline (n = 47) and follow-up (n = 30) assessment of depressive symptoms and child behaviors (aggression, compliance, negative emotionality). Depression severity improved hierarchical regression models predicting child negative emotionality. Further, maternal depression severity moderated the longitudinal course of child negative emotionality, such that the positive relationship between child behaviors over time was strongest in the presence of mild or average depressive symptomology compared to high levels of depression. Problematic behaviors were more likely to persist in the presence of milder symptoms of depression. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of intervention in the presence of maternal depressive symptoms.

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