The Protective Influence of Parental Child Routines in a Mediated Model Between Maternal Depression and Language Competence of Preschool Children in Low-Income Families

Purpose: The impairment in parenting is one major mechanism through which maternal depression poses a risk to child development (Lovejoy, Graczyk, O'Hare, & Neuman, 2000), and particularly in low-income-families (Malik, 2007). Few studies that have examined the connections between maternal depression and children's early language suggest a mediated model (Paulson, Keefe, & Leiferman, 2009; Zajicek-Farber, 2009). Engagement in child-routines can serve as a protection against parental stress and parental distress (Kliewer & Kung, 1998; Fiese & Wamboldt, 2000; Markson & Fiese, 2000). The importance of family routines is consistent with behavioral theory of child and parenting behavior. Routines provide predictability in the environment and aid in the establishment of appropriate behavior (Milan, Mitchell, Berger, & Pierson, 1981; Sytsma, Kelley, & Wymer, 2001). Child routines also promote children's emotional-behavioral regulation (Kliewer & Kung, 1998; Landy, 2002). In turn, emotional-behavioral regulation predicts early literacy and vocabulary development (Howse et al., 2003; McClelland, Cameron, Connor et al., 2006). This study investigated the mediating influence of bed-time routines between maternal depression, stress, and child emotional-behavioral regulation and early language competencies. Methods: Secondary data analysis used 2977 children enrolled during 0-3 phase (1996-2001) into the federal Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project (EHSREP). Data collection was accomplished by bilingual EHSREP-trained interviewers during structured interviews. At 3 years of age, 60% (N=1792) to 70% (N=2106) of children had data for the selected variables. Although mothers were the primary reporters for study variables (CES-D; Abidin's Parenting Stress Index; EHS-Questions on Bed-time routines), trained examiners reported on children's emotional regulation (BBRS scales), cognition (Bayley-MDI) and language (PPVT-III). Analysis used structural equation modeling (SEM) with multiple group analysis for gender; SPSS 16 with AMOS 16 software. Results: The final full-sample structured equation supported a mediated path model (Chi-square = 256.43, df = 48, p <.001; NFI = .928, CFI = .940, RMSEA = .038). The impact of maternal depression on role-stress was direct and mediated by parental view of child's behavior. Parental role-stress mediated depression onto children's emotional regulation, which, in turn, predicted language competence. Importantly, the effects of stress on children's emotional regulation were also mediated by parental bed-routines. Group comparison revealed that results well-fitted both boys and girls when structural-weights were constrained (Chi-square = 262.140, df = 85, p < .001; NFI = .926, CFI = .941, RMSEA = .027). Compared to boys, girls had slightly better emotional regulation, parental stress had more impact on their emotional regulation, and emotional regulation had less impact on their language. Interestingly, for boys, emotional regulation had a stronger effect on language than their cognition. Parental engagement in bed-routines was equally important to children's emotional regulation. Implications: Maternal depression impacts children's early language via a mediated model that supports the important and protective role that parenting routines play in promoting competencies in children during early childhood. As social workers strive to promote positive parental practices in childrearing, these results imply that interventive efforts need to be applied to enhancing parental practices and to promoting regulatory behaviors in children themselves.