Maternal postnatal depressive symptoms and offspring emotional and behavioral development at age 7 years in a U.K. birth cohort: The role of paternal involvement

Culpin, I ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5086-987X, Hammerton, G, Stein, A, Bornstein, MH, Tiemeier, H, Cadman, T, Fredriksen, E, Evans, J, Miller, T, Dermott, E, Heron, J, Sallis, HM and Pearson, Rebecca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8527-3400 (2023) Maternal postnatal depressive symptoms and offspring emotional and behavioral development at age 7 years in a U.K. birth cohort: The role of paternal involvement. Developmental Psychology, 59 (4). pp. 770-785. ISSN 0012-1649

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Official URL: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2023-18267-001

Abstract

There is considerable variability in developmental outcomes of children whose mothers experience depression. Few longitudinal studies have examined contributions of paternal involvement in the association between maternal postnatal depression (PND) and offspring development. We examined pathways from maternal PND at 8 weeks (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; total score) to offspring emotional and behavioral development at 7 years (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; total score) through behavioral, affective, and cognitive dimensions of paternal involvement in a U.K.-based birth cohort (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children; n = 3,434). Analyses were adjusted for baseline confounders and paternal PND (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; total score) as an intermediate confounder. Maternal PND was strongly associated with offspring development, but this association was not mediated by the combination of all indirect pathways through various dimensions of paternal involvement. Only father–child conflict emerged as a risk factor for adverse offspring development and as a mediator in the association between maternal PND and offspring development (albeit the effect size was small). If found causal, interventions that reduce father–child conflict may reduce the risk of adverse development in offspring of mothers with PND.

Item Type:	Article (Article)
Peer-reviewed:	Yes
Date Deposited:	07 Nov 2023 16:28
Publisher:	American Psychological Association
Additional Information:	© American Psychological Association, 2023. This paper is not the copy of record and may not exactly replicate the authoritative document published in the APA journal. The final article is available, upon publication, at: https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001482.
Divisions:	Faculties > Health and Education Research Centres > Health, Psychology and Communities
Subject terms:	Humans, Depression, Postpartum, Longitudinal Studies, Depression, Fathers, Mothers, Child, Child of Impaired Parents, Female, Male, Male, Female, Humans, Child, Depression, Longitudinal Studies, Child of Impaired Parents, Depression, Postpartum, Fathers, Mothers, 1303 Specialist Studies in Education, 1701 Psychology, 1702 Cognitive Sciences, Developmental & Child Psychology
URI:	https://e-space.mmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/633018
DOI:	https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001482
ISSN	0012-1649
e-ISSN	1939-0599

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