PRESCHOOL-CHILDREN AT SOCIAL RISK - CHRONICITY AND TIMING OF MATERNALDEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND CHILD-BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS AT SCHOOL AND AT HOME

The current study investigated the relationship between previous, rece nt, or chronic maternal depressive symptoms and subtypes of child beha vior problems rated by teachers and mothers among 64 low-income childr en aged 4-6 years. Sixty-nine percent of mothers with high depressive symptom levels at the preschool assessment had also reported high symp tom levels during the child's infancy. Children whose mothers reported depressive symptoms at both ages exhibited significantly elevated rat es of hostile behavior problems in the classroom and at home compared to children of never-depressed mothers. Children of mothers who were p reviously but not currently depressed showed significantly more anxiou s and withdrawn behavior at school and at home, while children of rece ntly depressed mothers were more hyperactive and demanding. Child cogn itive scores and father absence were also related to behavior problems , but these variables did not mediate the independent effects of chron icity and timing of maternal depressive symptoms on the types of child symptoms displayed.