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Links between maternal and child psychopathology symptoms: mediation through child emotion regulation and moderation

Cynthia Suveg1, Anne Shaffer, Diana Morelen

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Georgia, Athens, USA. csuveg@uga.edu

Child Psychiatry and Human Development
|April 13, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Maternal psychopathology can influence child symptoms, with child emotion regulation acting as a key mediator. Enhancing children

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology

Background:

  • Intergenerational transmission of psychopathology is a significant concern.
  • Maternal psychopathology poses risks for child mental health.
  • Understanding mediating factors is crucial for intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the role of child emotion regulation in the intergenerational transmission of psychopathology.
  • To investigate how maternal support moderates this relationship.
  • To identify prevention targets for children at risk.

Main Methods:

  • Study involved 97 children (aged 7-12) and their mothers.
  • Statistical analysis explored mediation and moderation effects.
  • Data collected on maternal psychopathology, child emotion regulation, and child symptoms.

Main Results:

  • Child emotion regulation mediated the link between maternal psychopathology and child internalizing/externalizing symptoms.
  • Maternal support in response to negative emotions influenced this indirect effect.
  • The complexity of the relationship varied by maternal reactions and psychopathology type.

Conclusions:

  • Child emotion regulation is a critical target for preventing psychopathology in at-risk youth.
  • Interventions should focus on building adaptive emotion regulation skills.
  • The findings highlight the complex interplay between maternal and child psychopathology and emotion regulation.

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