The relations among maternal depressive disorder, maternal expressed emotion, and toddler behavior problems and attachment

Abstract

Direct and indirect relations among maternal depression, maternal Expressed Emotion (EE: Self- and Child-Criticism), child internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and child attachment were examined. Participants were mothers with depression (n = 130) and comparison mothers (n = 68) and their toddlers (M age = 20 mo.; 53% male). Assessments included the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (maternal depression); the Five Minute Speech Sample (EE); the Child Behavior Checklist (toddler behavior problems); the Strange Situation (child attachment). Direct relations were significant linking: 1) maternal depression with both EE and child functioning; 2) Child-Criticism with child internalizing and externalizing symptoms; 3) Self-Criticism with child attachment. Significant indirect relations were found linking maternal depression with: 1) child externalizing behaviors via Child-Criticism; 2) child internalizing behaviors via Self- and Child-Criticism; and 3) child attachment via Self-Criticism. Findings are consistent with a conceptual model in which maternal EE mediates relations between maternal depression and toddler socio-emotional functioning.

Figure 1

Parameter estimates for mediational model testing maternal EE Self-Crit and EE Child-Crit as mediators of the association between maternal depression group and child internalizing and externalizing symptoms; estimates reported as unstandardized (standardized). Non-Dep = nondepressed group; Dep = depressed group. † p < .06. * p < .05. ** p < .01. *** p < .001.

Figure 2

Parameter estimates for mediational model testing maternal EE Self-Criticism as a mediator of the association between maternal depression group and child attachment security vs. insecurity; estimates reported as unstandardized (standardized). Path c denotes the direct path from depression status to attachment quality, not controlling for EE Self-Criticism. Non-Dep = nondepressed group; Dep = depressed group. * p < .05. *** p < .001.

Figure 3

Parameter estimates for mediational model testing maternal EE Child-Criticism as a mediator of the association between maternal depression group and child attachment security vs. insecurity; estimates reported as unstandardized (standardized). Path c denotes the direct path from depression status to attachment quality, not controlling for EE Child-Criticism. * p < .05. Non-Dep = nondepressed group; Dep = depressed group; n.s. = non- significant.