The quality of father-child feeding interactions mediates the effect of maternal depression on children’s psychopathological symptoms
Research has shown that Postnatal maternal depression (PND) is associated with children’s emotional and behavioral problems during infancy, but the possible effect of father-child relationship quality on this association is yet to be thoroughly investigated. We recruited 401 families (802 parents; 4...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.968171/full |
| _version_ | 1811340896025706496 |
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| author | Silvia Cimino Renata Tambelli Paola Di Vito Gessica D’Angeli Luca Cerniglia |
| author_facet | Silvia Cimino Renata Tambelli Paola Di Vito Gessica D’Angeli Luca Cerniglia |
| author_sort | Silvia Cimino |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Research has shown that Postnatal maternal depression (PND) is associated with children’s emotional and behavioral problems during infancy, but the possible effect of father-child relationship quality on this association is yet to be thoroughly investigated. We recruited 401 families (802 parents; 401 children) via mental health clinics in Central Italy. We divided families into two groups: Group 1 included families with mothers with PND; Group 2 included families with mothers without PND (control group). The assessment took place at T1 (18 months of age of children) and T2 (36 months of age of children): postnatal maternal depression was measured through the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS); parent-child relationship quality was assessed through the Scale for the Assessment of Feeding Interactions (SVIA); and the child emotional–behavioral functioning was evaluated with the Child-Behavior-Checklist (CBCL). Compared to the control group, the children of the groups where mothers had PND, showed overall higher scores (i.e., more maladaptive) on the CBCL. A direct effect of postnatal maternal depression on children’s emotional-behavioral functioning was found, both at T1 and at T2. A mediation effect of father-child relationship quality between postnatal maternal depression and child outcomes was also found. These results could inform prevention and intervention programs in families with mothers with PND. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T18:48:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-04c208f7b3c5487bbadba2db855ff182 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T18:48:41Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-04c208f7b3c5487bbadba2db855ff1822022-12-22T02:34:30ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402022-08-011310.3389/fpsyt.2022.968171968171The quality of father-child feeding interactions mediates the effect of maternal depression on children’s psychopathological symptomsSilvia Cimino0Renata Tambelli1Paola Di Vito2Gessica D’Angeli3Luca Cerniglia4Department of Dynamic, Clinical and Health Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Dynamic, Clinical and Health Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Dynamic, Clinical and Health Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Dynamic, Clinical and Health Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyInternational Telematic University Uninettuno, Rome, ItalyResearch has shown that Postnatal maternal depression (PND) is associated with children’s emotional and behavioral problems during infancy, but the possible effect of father-child relationship quality on this association is yet to be thoroughly investigated. We recruited 401 families (802 parents; 401 children) via mental health clinics in Central Italy. We divided families into two groups: Group 1 included families with mothers with PND; Group 2 included families with mothers without PND (control group). The assessment took place at T1 (18 months of age of children) and T2 (36 months of age of children): postnatal maternal depression was measured through the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS); parent-child relationship quality was assessed through the Scale for the Assessment of Feeding Interactions (SVIA); and the child emotional–behavioral functioning was evaluated with the Child-Behavior-Checklist (CBCL). Compared to the control group, the children of the groups where mothers had PND, showed overall higher scores (i.e., more maladaptive) on the CBCL. A direct effect of postnatal maternal depression on children’s emotional-behavioral functioning was found, both at T1 and at T2. A mediation effect of father-child relationship quality between postnatal maternal depression and child outcomes was also found. These results could inform prevention and intervention programs in families with mothers with PND.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.968171/fullpostnatal depressionparent-infant interactionfatherschildren’s emotional/behavioral functioningchild developmental |
| spellingShingle | Silvia Cimino Renata Tambelli Paola Di Vito Gessica D’Angeli Luca Cerniglia The quality of father-child feeding interactions mediates the effect of maternal depression on children’s psychopathological symptoms Frontiers in Psychiatry postnatal depression parent-infant interaction fathers children’s emotional/behavioral functioning child developmental |
| title | The quality of father-child feeding interactions mediates the effect of maternal depression on children’s psychopathological symptoms |
| title_full | The quality of father-child feeding interactions mediates the effect of maternal depression on children’s psychopathological symptoms |
| title_fullStr | The quality of father-child feeding interactions mediates the effect of maternal depression on children’s psychopathological symptoms |
| title_full_unstemmed | The quality of father-child feeding interactions mediates the effect of maternal depression on children’s psychopathological symptoms |
| title_short | The quality of father-child feeding interactions mediates the effect of maternal depression on children’s psychopathological symptoms |
| title_sort | quality of father child feeding interactions mediates the effect of maternal depression on children s psychopathological symptoms |
| topic | postnatal depression parent-infant interaction fathers children’s emotional/behavioral functioning child developmental |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.968171/full |
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