OBJECTIVES First, to leverage 15 years of longitudinal data, from child ages 2 to 17, to examine whether maternal depressive symptoms in early and middle childhood and in adolescence predict their child's unhealthy behaviors during adolescence. Second, to examine whether the timing of maternal depressive symptoms or specific unhealthy behaviors matter and whether child depressive symptoms and body mass index explain these associations. METHODS Data came from a prospective-longitudinal community sample with multi-informant data (N = 213) from child ages 2 to17. A cumulative adolescent unhealthy behavior index was calculated, summing the presence of poor sleep, poor diet, physical inactivity, sedentary behavior, and smoking. Regression analyses examined associations of maternal depressive symptoms in early childhood (ages 2 to 5), middle childhood (ages 7 to 10), and adolescence (age 15) with adolescents' unhealthy behaviors (ages 16 to17). Indirect effects of child depressive symptoms and body mass index were tested using a path model. RESULTS Adolescents' unhealthy behaviors were common (eg, 2 out of 3 engaged in at least 1 unhealthy behavior). Higher levels of maternal depressive symptoms in middle childhood and adolescence were associated with adolescent engagement in more unhealthy behaviors at ages 16 to 17. Maternal depressive symptoms in early childhood were associated with adolescent unhealthy behaviors through indirect effects involving children's depressive symptoms and continuity of maternal depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Maternal depressive symptoms are associated with the number of adolescent unhealthy behaviors, both directly and indirectly. Promoting mothers' mental health can be crucial for promoting children's health behaviors and health.

中文翻译：

---

母亲抑郁症状和青少年的不健康行为：一项为期 15 年的纵向研究。

目标 首先，利用 15 年的纵向数据（从 2 岁到 17 岁的儿童）来检查母亲在儿童早期、中期和青春期的抑郁症状是否预示着孩子在青春期的不健康行为。其次，研究母亲抑郁症状或特定不健康行为的发生时间是否重要，以及儿童抑郁症状和体重指数是否可以解释这些关联。方法 数据来自前瞻性纵向社区样本，其中包含 2 至 17 岁儿童的多信息数据 (N = 213)。计算了累积的青少年不健康行为指数，总结了睡眠不佳、饮食不良、缺乏身体活动、久坐行为和吸烟的情况。回归分析检查了幼儿期（2 至 5 岁）、童年中期（7 至 10 岁）和青春期（15 岁）母亲抑郁症状与青少年（16 至 17 岁）不健康行为的关联。使用路径模型测试了儿童抑郁症状和体重指数的间接影响。结果 青少年的不健康行为很常见（例如，三分之二的青少年从事至少一种不健康行为）。儿童中期和青春期母亲抑郁症状的水平较高与青少年在 16 至 17 岁期间参与更多不健康行为有关。幼儿期母亲抑郁症状通过涉及儿童抑郁症状和母亲抑郁症状持续性的间接影响与青少年不健康行为相关。症状。结论 母亲抑郁症状与青少年不健康行为的数量直接和间接相关。促进母亲的心理健康对于促进儿童的健康行为和健康至关重要。