Long-Term Impact of Maternal Depression on Growth Change of Child Behavioral Issues

Purpose: While a lot of emphasis has been placed on developing children's cognitive abilities like reading and math, their socio-emotional abilities are just as crucial for their growth (Tarasova, 2019; Bagea et al., 2023; Martinson et al., 2022). Substantial evidence suggests a positive correlation between a mother's psychological well-being and her child's behavior problems (Lowthian et al., 2023; Harris et al., 2023). Few analyzed the long-term impact of maternal mental health on their children’s behavioral issues. Therefore, this research will fill the gap by exploring the connection between the long-term impact of mothers’ depression on children’s behavioral issues changes over time from age 3 to 9, focusing on more disadvantaged mothers.

Method: This study uses the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) (N=4898) and growth curve analysis to examine how maternal depression consistently impacts children’s behavioral issues from age 3 to 9. Maternal mental health is measured by the probability of having depressive symptoms (0=No & 1=Yes) when children are ages 3, 5, and 9. Children’s behavioral issues are measured by Child Behavior Problems scales at age 3, 5, and 9. Example items are: (1) Child acts too young for their age; (2) Child avoid looking other in the eye. Researchers created a composite variable for children’s behavioral. The higher scores they have meaning, the more behavioral issues they have. Mothers' and children’s characteristics and the use of childcare subsidy (CCS) are controlled, and all analyses are conducted using Mplus 8.0.

Results. Children of mothers who were experiencing depressive symptoms showed higher behavioral problem (BPI) scores than those whose mothers had lower depressive symptoms at age 3, 5, and 9 (B = 0.058, p <0.001; B = 0.069, p<0.001; B =0.027, p = 0.005). As children became older, although the rate of children’s BPI scores decreased (B= -0.021, p =0.001; B = -0.017, p = 0.008), maternal depressive symptoms has not changed. Children’s early BPI scores was significantly associated with children’s later BPI scores. At age 3, child variables (male, non-white) and maternal variables (cohabiting mothers than married; mothers without high school education, CCS eligible status) were associated with higher child BPI score. However, as children became older from age 3 to 9, white children, children of mothers with above high school education, and children who were not eligible CCS showed significantly increased BPI scores.

Implication: Maternal depressive symptom, particularly when children were younger, was significant indicator predicting children’s behavioral problem scores for from ages 3-9. To reduce children’s mental health problems, early intervention such as Head Start that targets both child and parents should be implemented. Child and family risk factors associate with mental health differ depending on children’s developmental age. Thus, long-term family focused intervention for mental health problems should be considered not only among families who are disadvantaged (e.g., low income families receiving CCS, lower education degrees, and cohabiting with others., etc.) but also less advantaged families (families with white children, children with highly educated mothers, families not living in poverty).