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Updated: Jan 16, 2026

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants
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Longitudinal pathways between maternal depression, parenting behaviors, and early childhood development: a mediation

Allison Frost1, Elissa Scherer2, Esther O Chung1,3

  • 1Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States.

International Journal of Behavioral Development
|September 26, 2025
PubMed

Maternal depression is a global public health concern with far-reaching impacts on child development, yet our understanding of mechanisms remains incomplete. This study examined whether parenting mediates the association between maternal depression and child outcomes. Participants included 841 rural Pakistani mother-child dyads (50% female). Maternal depression was measured at 12 months postpartum, parenting behaviors (warmth, stimulation, and harsh parenting) were measured at 24 months, and child outcomes (mental health, socioemotional development, and cognitive skills) were measured at 36 months. Maternal depression predicted increased harsh parenting, child mental health difficulties, and child socioemotional concerns; however, there was little evidence for parenting as a mediator between maternal depression and child outcomes. Sex-stratified results are discussed, and findings are situated in context.

Keywords:
South Asiaearly childhood developmentmaternal depressionmediationparenting

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