How does maternal “belief in a dangerous world” affect maternal and child depressive symptoms during times of crisis?

Q3 Psychology

Journal of Affective Disorders Reports Pub Date : 2025-07-01 DOI:10.1016/j.jadr.2025.100968

Ning Huang , Evelyn Law , Helen Chen , Birit Broekman , Jonathan Huang , Shirong Cai , Ai Peng Tan , Jerry Chan , Chong Yap Seng , Bobby Cheon , Anne Rifkin-Graboi

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Crises like a pandemic can exacerbate maternal and child depressive symptoms. The relationship between a pre-existing maternal dangerous world belief (BDW_Pre) with subsequent maternal (DEP_{Post_Mat)} and child depressive symptoms (DEP_{Post_Child}) during the actual crisis, and related mechanisms, remain unclear. This study 1) examines associations between BDW_Pre, DEP_{Post_Mat} and DEP_{Post_Child}, and 2) explores moderating and mediating roles of COVID-19 stress and pre-pandemic maternal depressive symptoms (DEP_{Pre_Mat}), along with the mediating effect of household conflict (HC_post).

Methods

This cohort data were from the Singapore PREconception Study of Long-Term Maternal and Child Outcomes, including 90 complete cases and 373 imputed cases. Multiple linear regression detected longitudinal associations between BDW_Pre, DEP_{Post_Mat}, and DEP_{Post_Child}, with COVID-19 stress and DEP_{Pre_Mat} as moderators. Structural equation modeling tested mediating roles of COVID-19 stress, DEP_{Pre_Mat}, and HC_post; insensitive maternal behavior was examined as an additional mediator.

Results

There were total associations of BDW_Pre with DEP_{Post_Mat} (β = 0.172, 90 % CI [0.039, 0.306]) and DEP_{Post_Child} (β = 0.161, 90 % CI [0.031,0.291]). DEP_{Pre_Mat} directly associated with an increase in DEP_{Post_Mat} (β = 0.361, 90 % CI [0.248, 0.475]) and DEP_{Post_Child} (β = 0.262, 90 % CI [0.121, 0.401]). COVID-19 stress and HC_Post sequentially mediated the association between DEP_{Pre_Mat} and DEP_{Post_Mat}, and this relationship could be independently mediated by the HC_Post.

Conclusions

Early interventions for pre-existing maternal depressive symptoms and BDW are critical to protect maternal and preschooler mental health during crises. Interventions prioritizing household conflict, alongside crises-related stress, livelihood impacts, and media exposure, may be beneficial for susceptible preschoolers and their mothers during crises.

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在危机时期，母亲“对危险世界的信念”如何影响母亲和儿童的抑郁症状？

大流行等危机会加剧孕产妇和儿童的抑郁症状。在实际危机中，母亲的危险世界信念（BDWPre）与随后的母亲抑郁症状（DEPPost_Mat）和儿童抑郁症状（DEPPost_Child）之间的关系及其相关机制尚不清楚。本研究1)探讨了BDWPre、DEPPost_Mat和DEPPost_Child之间的关系；2)探讨了COVID-19应激对大流行前孕产妇抑郁症状（DEPPre_Mat）的调节和中介作用，以及家庭冲突（HCpost）的中介作用。方法本队列数据来自新加坡孕前长期母婴结局研究，包括90例完整病例和373例输入病例。多元线性回归发现BDWPre、DEPPost_Mat和DEPPost_Child之间存在纵向关联，COVID-19应激和DEPPre_Mat是调节因子。结构方程模型检验了COVID-19应激、DEPPre_Mat和HCpost的中介作用；不敏感的母亲行为被检查为一个额外的中介。结果BDWPre与DEPPost_Mat （β = 0.172, 90% CI[0.039, 0.306]）和DEPPost_Child （β = 0.161, 90% CI[0.031,0.291]）存在总相关性。DEPPre_Mat与DEPPost_Mat （β = 0.361, 90% CI[0.248, 0.475]）和DEPPost_Child （β = 0.262, 90% CI[0.121, 0.401]）的增加直接相关。COVID-19应激和HCPost依次介导了DEPPre_Mat和DEPPost_Mat之间的关联，这种关系可能由HCPost独立介导。结论早期干预已存在的母亲抑郁症状和BDW对保护危机期间母亲和学龄前儿童的心理健康至关重要。在危机期间，优先考虑家庭冲突以及与危机相关的压力、生计影响和媒体曝光的干预措施可能对易感学龄前儿童及其母亲有益。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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