The Role of Maternal Depression in the Negative Developmental Cascade Associated with Child Aggression: Bidirectional Influences

A considerable body of research supports the negative developmental cascade associated with child aggressive behaviors that is often characterized by the bi-directional interplay between negative parenting practices (harsh discipline, low warmth) and child aggressive behaviors (Lansford et al., 2014). Prevalent models of aggression suggest that it develops as part of a dynamic system of parent-child coercive exchanges, in which poor parenting reinforces child aggression, and conversely, child aggression evokes low warmth and harsh discipline (Dishion & Patterson, 2006). Although maternal depression has been linked with both negative parenting practices and elevated child aggression (Blatt-Eisenhart et al., 2009), the way in which it contributes to coercive parent-child interactions is less well understood.  For example, depression (and associated irritability) may increase the likelihood that mothers use harsh punishment.  Bi-directionally, it is also possible that becoming enmeshed in harsh, coercive conflicts with children is demoralizing for mothers, leading to feelings of guilt and self-recrimination and thereby fueling feelings of depression.

This study addresses this gap in the literature by exploring transactional processes over time in a model that includes parent depression, parenting behavior (low warmth, harsh discipline), and child aggression over the course of three years, from kindergarten to second grade. It uses data from the Fast Track Project (n = 1199; 48% European American, 48.6% African American, 63.2% male), a multisite study of the development and prevention of conduct problems.  Data was collected annually, in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade, providing three time points used for this study. Maternal depression was assessed with the CES – Depression Scale. Parenting was assessed with the Conflict Tactics Scale (harshness) and observer ratings in the home (warmth). Child aggression was assessed using the CBCL parent and teacher ratings.

 Simple correlations revealed the expected associations over time, with maternal depression symptoms and parenting behaviors at each time point predicting subsequent child aggression behavior (e.g., time 1 predicting time 2; time 2 predicting time 3). Cross-lagged structural equation modeling will be used to create latent variables for the parenting construct and to examine bidirectional effects between parents and children over time.

This study has implications for intervention programs aimed at reducing child aggression. Oftentimes these programs include a parent component. This study will shed light on the role of parent depressive symptoms and transactional processes that may influence parenting and hence affect family response to these programs.