Maternal depression and mother-child interaction patterns: association with toddler problems and continuity of effects to late childhood.

Objective: Increased behavior problems have been reported in offspring of mothers with depression. In-home observations link maternal depressive symptoms (MDS) and mother-child interaction patterns with toddler behavior problems and examine their persistence into late childhood.

Method: Maternal characteristics (N = 153) and behaviors of two-year-old offspring (N = 215) were assessed in families from a randomly selected population cohort. Maternal self-reported depressive symptoms and observed maternal-toddler interaction patterns were evaluated as risks for toddler problem behaviors. Follow-up CBCL assessments about a decade later assessed persistence of effects identified in the toddler data.

Results: Maternal negativity toward her toddler was related to toddler problems, regardless of maternal depressive symptoms. MDS in combination with positive mother-toddler interaction showed only marginal ill effects on toddler offspring and no long-term effects. Depressive symptoms of less responsive/emotion teaching dyads were related to offspring tantrums and to mother and observer rated fearfulness, independent of family contextual risks. Analyses of Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) problem scales obtained on these children in late childhood showed persistent effects similar to those shown at the younger age.

Conclusions: In sum, these findings suggest that for mothers with high levels of depressive symptoms, demonstrations of affection and responsiveness to toddler offspring may mitigate both current and long-term consequences on offspring behavior.