ABSTRACT

The current study examined the development of toddler attachment and early childhood behavior among children of mothers with a history of childhood maltreatment and current major depressive disorder. Maternal depression, maternal sensitivity, and toddler attachment were assessed as mediators of the association between maternal history of childhood maltreatment and child internalizing and externalizing behavior. Participants were from a low-income, largely racial minority urban sample and included 123 mothers with (n = 69) and without (n = 54) major depressive disorder at baseline and their children assessed at 12, 26, and 36 months old. Findings suggest maternal depression and maternal sensitivity mediated the association between maternal history of childhood maltreatment and disorganized attachment. Maternal depression, but not disorganized attachment, mediated the association between maternal history of childhood maltreatment and child symptomatology. Results suggest that supporting mothers through depression and processing their adverse childhood experiences are critical in fostering positive child development.

摘要

目前的研究调查了有儿童虐待史和当前重度抑郁症的母亲所生子女的幼儿依恋和幼儿行为的发展。母亲抑郁、母亲敏感性和幼儿依恋被评估为母亲童年虐待史与儿童内化和外化行为之间关联的中介因素。参与者来自低收入、主要是少数族裔的城市样本，包括 123 名基线时患有 (n = 69) 和没有 (n = 54) 重度抑郁症的母亲，他们的孩子分别在 12、26 和 36 个月大时进行评估。研究结果表明，母亲抑郁症和母亲敏感性介导了母亲童年虐待史与无组织依恋之间的关联。产妇抑郁症，但不是杂乱无章的依恋，介导了母亲童年虐待史与儿童症状学之间的关联。结果表明，支持母亲度过抑郁症并处理其不良的童年经历对于促进儿童的积极发展至关重要。