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Reciprocal Relations Between Maternal Depression and Child Behavior Problems in Families Served by Head Start
Author(s) -
Baker Claire E.,
BrooksGunn Jeanne,
Gouskova Natalia
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/cdev.13344
Subject(s) - psychology , head start , ethnic group , depression (economics) , developmental psychology , reciprocal , race (biology) , clinical psychology , gender studies , linguistics , philosophy , sociology , anthropology , economics , macroeconomics
This study used longitudinal cross‐lagged modeling to examine reciprocal relations between maternal depression and child behavior problems. Data were drawn from 3,119 children (40% Hispanic, 30% African American, 20% White, and 10% other) from the Family and Child Experiences Survey of 2009 (a nationally representative sample of children served by Head Start). Results documented reciprocal relations between maternal depression and child behavior problems across early childhood (i.e., child age 3–5). Furthermore, the effect of child behavior problems on maternal depression was moderated by child race/ethnicity during children’s first year in Head Start, such that the negative effect of child behavior problems on African American mothers’ depression was more pronounced compared to Hispanics and other racial/ethnic groups.