Numerous cross-sectional studies confirm the long-theorized association between mothers’ depression and lower parenting self-efficacy (PSE) beliefs. However, cross-sectional studies leave unanswered the direction of this association: Does depression predict PSE? Does PSE predict depression? Are both true? Does the strength of the association between depression and PSE, regardless of the direction, generalize across participant characteristics and study design features? How stable is PSE over time? And how effective are interventions at enhancing PSE? To answer these questions, we conducted a meta-analytic review of longitudinal studies. With 35 eligible studies (22,698 participants), we found support for both models: there was a significant pooled effect of both depression on PSE and of PSE on depression, with nearly identical effect sizes (d = − 0.21 and − 0.22, respectively). The association was stronger in samples with mothers’ younger average age and studies that measured PSE among mothers relative to during pregnancy. We found a medium degree of stability in the index of PSE, d = 0.60. Finally, the estimated pooled effect size between being in an intervention group versus control group and PSE was 0.505. Overall, we found support for (1) bidirectional associations between depression and PSE in mothers, (2) the stability of PSE over time, and (3) the strength of the relationship between PSE and depression with intervention. These results suggest the importance of continuing to develop, test, and disseminate interventions to enhance PSE. We interpret these findings in the context of both depression and low PSE having serious consequences for child outcomes and maladaptive parenting.

许多横断面研究证实了母亲的抑郁与较低的养育自我效能感（PSE）信念之间长期存在的关联。然而，横断面研究没有回答这种关联的方向：抑郁症是否预测 PSE？PSE 能预测抑郁症吗？两者都是真的吗？无论方向如何，抑郁症和 PSE 之间的关联强度是否可以概括参与者特征和研究设计特征？PSE 随着时间的推移有多稳定？干预措施在增强 PSE 方面的效果如何？为了回答这些问题，我们对纵向研究进行了荟萃分析回顾。通过 35 项符合条件的研究（22,698 名参与者），我们发现了两种模型的支持：抑郁症对 PSE 和 PSE 对抑郁症都有显着的综合效应，效应大小几乎相同（d  = - 0.21 和 - 0.22，分别）。在母亲平均年龄较小的样本和测量母亲相对于怀孕期间的 PSE 的研究中，这种关联更强。我们发现 PSE 指数的稳定性中等程度，d = 0.60。最后，干预组与对照组和 PSE 之间的估计汇总效应大小为 0.505。总体而言，我们发现支持 (1) 母亲抑郁症和 PSE 之间的双向关联，(2) PSE 随时间的稳定性，以及 (3) PSE 和抑郁症之间关系的强度与干预。这些结果表明继续开发、测试和传播干预措施以增强 PSE 的重要性。我们在抑郁症和低 PSE 对儿童结局和适应不良的养育方式造成严重后果的背景下解释这些发现。