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Maternal depression in the intergenerational transmission of childhood maltreatment and its sequelae: Testing postpartum effects in a longitudinal birth cohort.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Choi, KW; Houts, R; Arseneault, L; Pariante, C; Sikkema, KJ; Moffitt, TE
Published in: Development and psychopathology
February 2019

Mothers who have experienced childhood maltreatment are more likely to have children also exposed to maltreatment, a phenomenon known as intergenerational transmission. Factors in the perinatal period may contribute uniquely to this transmission, but timing effects have not been ascertained. Using structural equation modeling with 1,016 mothers and their 2,032 children in the Environmental Risk Longitudinal Twin Study, we tested the mediating role of postpartum depression between maternal childhood maltreatment and a cascade of negative child outcomes, specifically child exposure to maltreatment, internalizing symptoms, and externalizing symptoms: (a) adjusting for later maternal depression, (b) comparing across sex differences, and (c) examining the relative role of maltreatment subtypes. Mothers who had been maltreated as children, especially those who had experienced emotional or sexual abuse, were at increased risk for postpartum depression. In turn, postpartum depression predicted children's exposure to maltreatment, followed by emotional and behavioral problems. Indirect effects from maternal childhood maltreatment to child outcomes were robust across child sex and supported significant mediation through postpartum depression; however, this appeared to be carried by mothers' depression beyond the postpartum period. Identifying and treating postpartum depression, and preventing its recurrence, may help interrupt the intergenerational transmission of maltreatment and its sequelae.

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Published In

Development and psychopathology

DOI

EISSN

1469-2198

ISSN

0954-5794

Publication Date

February 2019

Volume

31

Issue

1

Start / End Page

143 / 156

Related Subject Headings

  • Risk Factors
  • Pregnancy
  • Parenting
  • Male
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Internal-External Control
  • Intergenerational Relations
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infant
  • Humans
 

Citation

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Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Choi, K. W., Houts, R., Arseneault, L., Pariante, C., Sikkema, K. J., & Moffitt, T. E. (2019). Maternal depression in the intergenerational transmission of childhood maltreatment and its sequelae: Testing postpartum effects in a longitudinal birth cohort. Development and Psychopathology, 31(1), 143–156. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954579418000032
Choi, Karmel W., Renate Houts, Louise Arseneault, Carmine Pariante, Kathleen J. Sikkema, and Terrie E. Moffitt. “Maternal depression in the intergenerational transmission of childhood maltreatment and its sequelae: Testing postpartum effects in a longitudinal birth cohort.Development and Psychopathology 31, no. 1 (February 2019): 143–56. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954579418000032.
Choi KW, Houts R, Arseneault L, Pariante C, Sikkema KJ, Moffitt TE. Maternal depression in the intergenerational transmission of childhood maltreatment and its sequelae: Testing postpartum effects in a longitudinal birth cohort. Development and psychopathology. 2019 Feb;31(1):143–56.
Choi, Karmel W., et al. “Maternal depression in the intergenerational transmission of childhood maltreatment and its sequelae: Testing postpartum effects in a longitudinal birth cohort.Development and Psychopathology, vol. 31, no. 1, Feb. 2019, pp. 143–56. Epmc, doi:10.1017/s0954579418000032.
Choi KW, Houts R, Arseneault L, Pariante C, Sikkema KJ, Moffitt TE. Maternal depression in the intergenerational transmission of childhood maltreatment and its sequelae: Testing postpartum effects in a longitudinal birth cohort. Development and psychopathology. 2019 Feb;31(1):143–156.
Journal cover image

Published In

Development and psychopathology

DOI

EISSN

1469-2198

ISSN

0954-5794

Publication Date

February 2019

Volume

31

Issue

1

Start / End Page

143 / 156

Related Subject Headings

  • Risk Factors
  • Pregnancy
  • Parenting
  • Male
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Internal-External Control
  • Intergenerational Relations
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infant
  • Humans