Food Insecurity and Depression among Economically Disadvantaged Mothers: Does Maternal Efficacy Matter?

Nearly 13 million American children experience food insecurity. Research suggests that maternal depression is associated with food insecurity, such that mothers who experience depression are more likely to be food insecure. Maternal self-efficacy may be an important protective factor against depression during the postpartum year, interrupting the link between depression and food insecurity. We extend prior research by examining food insecurity in households with infants and investigating the potential for maternal efficacy to moderate the relation between depression and food insecurity.

Data were drawn from the Kids in Columbus Study, a longitudinal study of diverse, economically disadvantaged mothers and their young children in Columbus, Ohio (N = 219). Data for this study were drawn from data collected between July 2014 and June 2016.

Over one-third of families experienced food insecurity. Further, depression was positively and significantly related to household food insecurity; this relationship, however, was dependent on maternal efficacy. When maternal efficacy was high, the relationship between depression and food insecurity was nonsignificant; when maternal efficacy was low, there was a significant, positive association between depression and food insecurity.

Increasing maternal self-efficacy during the postpartum period may reduce food insecurity in low-income mothers who are experiencing depression.