The Mediational Role of Depression in Harsh Parenting Among Mothers Exposed to Community Violence

Background/Significance: Research has started examining the effect of personal victimization history and has identified this as one of the major risk factors for maternal harsh parenting practice.   However, only limited number of studies examined community violence exposures as a personal victimization experience which could function as a risk factor for maternal harsh parenting practice. Violence exposure in community is known to increase maternal depression and the latter has been identified to be associated with harsh parenting.  Additionally, maternal depression has been found to mediate the relationship between community violence exposure and children’s behavior problems.  What have been missing from the literature are the connections between maternal community violence exposure (both direct victimization and exposure/witnessing), maternal depression, and subsequent parenting behavior.  This study examined the paths between community violence, maternal depression, and maternal harsh parenting to address this gap in literature.    

Methods: Data from the longitudinal Families and Child Wellbeing (FFCW) study were used for our investigation.  2,851 families were included in this study. Harsh parenting was measured by psychological aggression and physical aggression (subscales from the Conflict Tactics Scales).  Depression was measured by the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, Short Form.  Community violence exposure included 7 items and was measured by two sub-scales: (1) direct experience/victimization; and (2) witnessing violence (e.g., saw someone being beaten).  Other covariates relevant to maternal harsh parenting and depression, including age, domestic violence, social support, paternal support, race/ethnicity, substance use, and poverty, were examined.

Results: The result showed that the average age of mothers was 25.86 (SD=6.13), and about 21% of mothers were white, 47% black, and 31% other race.  The average depression score was .64 (SD=1.72; ranges from 0 to 7).  Thirty-three percent of mothers witnessed community violence and 5% of mothers experience direct victimization.  Bivariate analysis results showed that those who were exposed to community violence were significantly more likely to engage in harsh parenting.  Mothers who either witnessed or directly experienced community violence reported higher level of depression.  The multiple regression analyses showed that both direct experience and witness of community violence were predictive of harsh parenting.  Maternal substance use and younger age increased maternal harsh parenting practice.  The mediation analyses showed that community violence exposure not only had a direct effect on maternal harsh parenting practice but also indirectly increased maternal harsh parenting practice through maternal depression. 

Conclusions:  Exposure to violence in community, whether directly or indirectly, has negative effects on maternal harsh parenting.  Community violence exposure also increases maternal depression, which further exacerbates maternal harsh parenting.  Because community violence exerts negative impact on maternal harsh parenting, which subsequently puts children at risk, it is important to focus on: (1) identify mothers exposed to violence; (2) develop violence prevention in the community and timely intervention following exposure; and (3) connect mothers to appropriate support to help reduce their harsh parenting.  Importantly, health professionals and social service providers should screen for depression in mothers who may have witnessed or experienced victimization and make routine follow-ups to make sure about their emotional wellbeing.