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Infant externalizing behavior and parent depressive symptoms: Prospective predictors of parental pandemic related

Samantha A Murray1, Lijuan Wang2, E Mark Cummings2

  • 1Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.

Infancy : the Official Journal of the International Society on Infant Studies
|April 6, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Parental depression before the COVID-19 pandemic predicted higher pandemic-related distress. Mothers' reports of infant externalizing behavior also predicted distress, highlighting the importance of early mental health for disaster coping.

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Public Health
  • Family Studies

Background:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted family life and mental health.
  • Understanding parental responses to disasters is crucial for child development.
  • Bronfenbrenner's Bioecological Systems Model provides a framework for assessing pandemic impacts.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate predictors of parents' pandemic-related distress (PRD).
  • To examine the role of pre-pandemic parental mental health and infant behavior.
  • To understand the influence on child development within the family microsystem.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study design with 105 infant-mother-father triads.
  • Assessed maternal and paternal mental health (depressive symptoms) and infant externalizing behavior at 16 months.
  • Measured PRD approximately one year later.

Main Results:

  • Pre-pandemic depressive symptoms in both mothers and fathers predicted higher PRD.
  • Mothers' reports of infant externalizing behavior predicted higher PRD.
  • Fathers' reports of externalizing behavior correlated with their depressive symptoms but not directly with PRD.

Conclusions:

  • Pre-existing parental mental health is a significant predictor of disaster response.
  • Early perceptions of infant behavior are important for parental coping during crises.
  • Findings underscore the need to support parental mental health for family resilience.

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