Objective

Exposure to maternal depression during early childhood is a well-documented risk factor for offspring’s internalizing problems, but the long-term risk and the psychosocial mechanisms underlying the association remain largely unknown. We examined whether maternal depression during early childhood was associated with offspring internalizing problems in adolescence, and the extent to which negative parenting, peer victimization, and poor friendship quality during middle childhood mediated this association.

Method

We report on a population-based sample of children (n = 1,443) followed-up from 5 months to 15 years. We use yearly assessments of the exposure variable, that is, maternal depression (5 months to 5 years); the putative mediators, that is, peer victimization, friendship quality, and parenting practices (6−12 years); and assessment of the outcome variables at 15 years: self-reported major depressive (MD), generalized anxiety (GA), and social phobia (SP) symptoms. Structural equation modeling was used to test mediation by peer and family relationships.

Results

Exposure to maternal depression during early childhood was associated with higher levels of adolescent MD, GA, and SP. Peer victimization was the only significant mediator and explained 35.9% of the association with adolescent MD, 22.1% of that with GA, and 22.1% of that with SP.

Conclusion

Exposure to maternal depression prior to age 5 years was associated with depression, anxiety, and social phobia extending to adolescence via its impact on peer victimization during middle childhood. Particular attention should be paid to victimization as one potential psychosocial factor via which maternal depression is associated with adolescent internalizing problems.

中文翻译：

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产妇抑郁症为何与青少年内在化问题有关？一项基于人口的15年研究

客观的

在儿童早期暴露于母亲抑郁是后代内在化问题的一个有据可查的风险因素，但是长期的风险和这种关联背后的社会心理机制仍然未知。我们检查了儿童期早期的母亲抑郁是否与青春期的后代内在化问题有关，以及不良的父母养育，同伴受害和儿童期中期的不良友善质量介导了这种联系。

方法

我们报告了以人群为基础的儿童（n = 1,443）样本，随访时间为5个月至15岁。我们使用暴露变量的年度评估，即产妇抑郁（5个月至5年）；假定的调解人，即同伴受害，友谊质量和养育子女的方式（6-12岁）；并评估15年后的结果变量：自我报告的严重抑郁（MD），广泛性焦虑（GA）和社交恐惧症（SP）症状。结构方程模型用于测试同伴和家庭关系的调解。

结果

幼儿时期孕妇的抑郁症与青少年MD，GA和SP含量升高有关。同伴受害是唯一的重要调解人，并解释了与青少年MD的关联为35.9％，与GA的关联为22.1％，与SP的关联为22.1％。

结论

5岁之前孕妇遭受抑郁症与抑郁症，焦虑症和社交恐惧症通过影响中年期对同伴受害而扩展到青春期有关。应特别注意受害，因为受害是一种潜在的心理社会因素，孕产妇抑郁症通过这种心理因素与青少年的内在化问题相关。