QUALITY OF MOTHER TODDLER INTERACTIONS, MATERNAL DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS,AND BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS IN PRESCHOOLERS OF ADOLESCENT MOTHERS

Longitudinal data for 63 inner-city African American and Puerto Rican adolescent mothers and their firstborn children were used to examine t he relations among (a) level of maternal depressive symptoms reported in the first year postpartum and at 28 to 36 months postpartum, (b) mo ther-toddler conflict and contingent (reciprocal) responses observed i n play interactions at 20 months, and (c) maternal reports of child pr oblem behaviors at 28 to 36 months. The model that best predicted chil d problem behaviors was an additive one, reflecting the independent co ntributions of maternal depressive symptoms and maternal-child conflic t. A lack of contingent responses occurred more frequently in the inte ractions of more symptomatic mothers with their toddlers. Although thi s was not associated with subsequent levels of child problem behaviors , the implications of this passive response strategy for the perpetuat ion of depression in families are discussed.