Symptoms of anxiety and depression among mothers of pre-school children: effect of chronic strain related to children and child care-taking

Background: Factors that affect maternal mental health were studied when th e children were 30 and 50 months old, and changes in the importance of thes e factors over time were analyzed. A specific aim was to elucidate the role of chronic strain related to children and child care-taking. This study fo llows up previous work on the influence of social class, strain acid social support on maternal mental distress when the children were 18 months old. Methods: The sample is population based, and 1,081 parents were invited to fill out questionnaires. Maternal mental distress was measured by the Hopki ns Symptom Checklist (SCL-25). Multiple regression analyses were conducted at each time point and chi-square tests were used to analyze the changes be tween the estimated regression coefficients over time. Results: Chronic str ain related to children and child care-taking consistently predicted matern al mental distress. Among the specific child related strains, problems with child care-taking were significantly associated with maternal symptom leve ls at all time points. The importance of two specific child problem behavio rs (activity level and the child being a worrier) on maternal mental health changed over time. Limitations: Conclusions about causality call not be dr awn based on cross-sectional analyses. The self report measures used here m ay be biased by the current mood state. Conclusions: Problems with child ca re arrangements and combining work and child care-taking are predicive of m aternal mental health when the children are 18, 30 and 50 months old. The r isk and protective factors found here may have implications for prevention and intervention. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.