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Maternal emotional availability and perinatal depressive symptoms as predictors of early childhood executive function

Josephine Power1, Stuart Watson2, Wai Chen3

  • 1Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.

Journal of Affective Disorders
|August 23, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Maternal emotional availability in infancy significantly impacts child executive function, including switching and inhibition, regardless of maternal depression levels. This highlights the importance of the mother-infant relationship for cognitive development.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Child Neurodevelopment
  • Maternal Mental Health

Background:

  • Maternal perinatal depression and early mother-infant relational quality are critical for child executive function (EF).
  • The interplay between maternal depressive symptoms and mother-infant emotional availability (EA) in predicting child EF remains understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how perinatal depressive symptoms and maternal EA at 6 months predict child EF at age four.
  • To examine the moderating role of maternal EA in the relationship between maternal depressive symptom changes and child EF.

Main Methods:

  • 282 mother-infant pairs were recruited.
  • Maternal depressive symptoms and EA were assessed, alongside child EF using standardized measures.
  • Latent growth curve modeling analyzed the data, controlling for socioeconomic status and maternal cognitive abilities.

Main Results:

  • Maternal EA positively influenced child EF, specifically in switching, motor inhibition, and inattentive symptoms.
  • EA's moderating effect was observed in the association between changes in depressive symptoms and switching ability.
  • These effects were independent of maternal depressive symptom trajectories.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal emotional availability in infancy is a key factor in child executive function development.
  • Findings suggest potential for interventions targeting mother-infant interaction to support child cognitive skills.
  • Further research is needed, particularly with larger samples and including paternal influences.
Abstract

Keywords:
Child developmentExecutive functionPerinatal depression

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