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Maternal depression trajectories and child executive function over 9 years.
Yunhye Oh1, Yoo-Sook Joung2, Ji Hyun Baek2
1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, National Center for Mental Health, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Psychiatry, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 06351, Republic of Korea.
Journal of Affective Disorders
|August 4, 2020
Summary
Maternal depression during pregnancy and up to two years postpartum is linked to behavioral problems and impaired executive function in children. These effects persist into middle childhood, highlighting the importance of early intervention.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Psychiatry
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Maternal depression is a significant public health concern with potential long-term effects on child development.
- Understanding the trajectory of maternal depression is crucial for identifying at-risk children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between maternal depression trajectories from pregnancy to 2 years postpartum and children's behavioral problems and executive function at 9 years of age.
Main Methods:
- Latent profile analysis was used to identify maternal depression trajectories in 1191 mother-child pairs from the Panel Study on Korean Children.
- Maternal depression was assessed using the Kessler depression scale at multiple time points.
- Child behavioral outcomes and executive function were assessed at various ages up to 9 years.
Main Results:
- Three maternal depression trajectories were identified: no symptoms, mild symptoms, and moderate symptoms.
- Children of mothers with significant depressive symptoms exhibited more severe behavioral problems from age 4 to 9 years.
- Impaired executive function was observed in children of mothers with mild or moderate depressive symptoms at ages 7 to 9 years.
Conclusions:
- Maternal depression extending up to two years after childbirth has a lasting impact on children's behavior and executive function.
- Early and continuous maternal mental health support is vital for optimal child development outcomes.
Keywords:
Child behavioral problemsExecutive functionLatent profile analysisLongitudinalMaternal depressionMore Related Videos
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