Distinct Roles of Positive and Negative Maternal Mental Health in Parenting Styles and Child Development
Michelle Z L Kee1, Desiree Y Phua1, Helen Y Chen2,3
1Institute for Human Development and Potential, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore.
JAACAP Open
|April 6, 2026
Summary
Positive maternal mental health promotes authoritative parenting, enhancing child cognitive development. Promoting maternal well-being is key for effective parenting and better child outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Maternal Health
- Child Development
Background:
- Maternal mental health is crucial for child development, but the specific impact of positive mental health on parenting and child outcomes requires further investigation.
- Parenting styles act as a potential mediator between maternal mental health and child developmental trajectories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine how parenting styles mediate the relationship between maternal mental health and developmental outcomes in young children.
- To differentiate the roles of general affective symptoms and positive mental health in maternal well-being.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the multiethnic Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) cohort (n=328 mothers).
- Assessed maternal mental health (Beck Depression Inventory-II, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) and parenting styles (Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire).
- Evaluated child outcomes at 4-4.5 years, including behavioral problems, school readiness, executive function, and IQ.
Main Results:
- General maternal affective symptoms were linked to permissive and authoritarian parenting, predicting child behavioral problems.
- Positive maternal mental health was associated with authoritative parenting, which in turn mediated improved child executive function, cognitive abilities, and IQ.
Conclusions:
- Positive maternal mental health uniquely fosters authoritative parenting, crucial for optimal child cognitive development.
- Public health strategies should focus on promoting positive maternal mental health to improve parenting and child outcomes.
- Future research should explore paternal influences on child development.
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