A LONGITUDINAL-STUDY OF MATERNAL DEPRESSION AND PRESCHOOL CHILDRENS MENTAL-HEALTH

The purpose of this longitudinal study was to examine the relationship between maternal depression and preschool children's mental health in a community sample. Cohort I (n = 97) consisted of mothers and childr en followed from 2 to 3 years of age. Cohort 2 (n = 97) consisted of m others and children followed from 3 to 4 years of age. Mothers complet ed a self-report measure of depression twice during 1 year. The childr en's day care providers/nursery school teachers completed two instrume nts measuring the children's social competence and behavior problems a t the end of the year. Maternal depression was significantly related t o lower social competence and more behavior problems in the children. Although there were no significant mean differences in children's ment al health scores by gender; boys of more depressed mothers were more l ikely to have poorer social competence and more behavior problems than girls. Item analyses suggest that the boys' behaviors may be particul arly aversive for depressed mothers, increasing the likelihood that th ese mothers will respond to and reinforce their sons' difficult behavi ors.