Maternal depression in early childhood and child emotional and behavioral outcomes at school age: examining the roles of preschool childcare quality and current maternal depression symptomatology.

Recent studies have shown that the association between maternal depression and child outcome can be moderated by children's experience of childcare (e.g., daycare) during early childhood (0-5 years).

Child-care quality moderates the association between maternal depression and children's behavioural outcome.

Background: Maternal depression is a risk factor for adverse outcomes in the child, including emotional and behavioural difficulties. There is evidence that child care attendance during the preschool years may moderate associations between familial risk factors and child outcome. However, the possibility that high-quality child care provides protection for children exposed to maternal depression or that low-quality child care provides additional risk has not been investigated.