CHANGE IN MATERNAL DEPRESSIVE MOOD - UNIQUE CONTRIBUTIONS TO ADOLESCENT FUNCTIONING OVER TIME

There is substantial evidence of the relationship between maternal dep ressive mood and problematic child functioning. The vast majority of s tudies in this area concentrate on cross-sectional designs and depress ive mood at one point in time. In contrast to the existing literature, the goal of this study was to investigate the relation of change in m aternal depressed mood across time and adolescent functioning, includi ng the possible moderating effects of gender of the adolescent and the marital status of parents. Regression analyses indicated that increas ed depressed mood across one year predicted teacher report of higher l evels of externalizing and internalizing problems and lower levels of social competence, above that which could be predicted from the initia l assessment of depressed mood. With one exception, neither gender nor parental marital status qualified the findings. The results suggest t hat static levels of maternal depressive mood are not sufficient for f orecasting adolescent functioning. Future research needs also to consi der change in such mood.