Skip to main content
Top
Gepubliceerd in: Mindfulness 11/2021

06-09-2021 | ORIGINAL PAPER

Parents’ Depressive Symptoms and Child Adjustment: the Mediating Role of Mindful Parenting and Children’s Self-Regulation

Auteurs: Rebecca Y. M. Cheung, Wing Yee Cheng, Jian-Bin Li, Chun Bun Lam, Kevin Kien Hoa Chung

Gepubliceerd in: Mindfulness | Uitgave 11/2021

Log in om toegang te krijgen
share
DELEN

Deel dit onderdeel of sectie (kopieer de link)

  • Optie A:
    Klik op de rechtermuisknop op de link en selecteer de optie “linkadres kopiëren”
  • Optie B:
    Deel de link per e-mail

Abstract

Objectives

Parental depression is linked to a myriad of child adjustment outcomes. To identify the potential processes between parents’ depressive symptoms and child adjustment in early childhood, this cross-sectional study investigated mindful parenting and children’s self-regulation as mediators.

Methods

Participants were 320 Chinese families involving maritally intact mothers, fathers, and children (49.01% girls) from 34.73 to 55.66 months old (M = 46.32, SD = 3.77). Mothers and fathers completed self-report questionnaires assessing parental depressive symptoms, mindful parenting, children’s self-regulation, and adjustment outcomes. Children completed a task assessing their self-regulation. A structural equation model was conducted to examine the mediation model cross-sectionally.

Results

The structural equation model indicated that mindful parenting and children’s self-regulation mediated the association between parents’ depressive symptoms and children’s adjustment. Specifically, mothers’ and fathers’ depressive symptoms were associated with their own, but not their spouses’, mindful parenting. Mindful parenting was then associated with children’s self-regulation, which was related to internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and prosocial behavior. Differential findings as a function of parents’ gender were also indicated.

Conclusions

The present study revealed mindful parenting and children’s self-regulation as mediators between parental depressive symptoms and adjustment in early childhood. Both mothers’ and fathers’ depressive symptoms were associated with mindful parenting, which was crucial for children’s self-regulation, psychosocial adjustment, and behavioral adjustment. These findings inform practitioners about the relevance of parents’ depressive symptoms and mindful parenting to children’s adjustment in early childhood.
Bijlagen
Alleen toegankelijk voor geautoriseerde gebruikers
Literatuur
go back to reference Beck, A. T. (1979). Cognitive therapy of depression. Guilford Press. Beck, A. T. (1979). Cognitive therapy of depression. Guilford Press.
go back to reference Bögels, S. M., Hellemans, J., van Deursen, S., Römer, M., & van der Meulen, R. (2014). Mindful parenting in mental health care: Effects on parental and child psychopathology, parental stress, parenting, coparenting, and marital functioning. Mindfulness, 5(5), 536–551. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-013-0209-7CrossRef Bögels, S. M., Hellemans, J., van Deursen, S., Römer, M., & van der Meulen, R. (2014). Mindful parenting in mental health care: Effects on parental and child psychopathology, parental stress, parenting, coparenting, and marital functioning. Mindfulness, 5(5), 536–551. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1007/​s12671-013-0209-7CrossRef
go back to reference Cummings, E. M., & Valentino, K. (2015). Developmental psychopathology. In W. F. Overton, P. C. M. Molenaar, & R. M. Lerner (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology and developmental science: Theory and method (pp. 566–606). Wiley. Cummings, E. M., & Valentino, K. (2015). Developmental psychopathology. In W. F. Overton, P. C. M. Molenaar, & R. M. Lerner (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology and developmental science: Theory and method (pp. 566–606). Wiley.
go back to reference Fanti, K. A., & Henrich, C. C. (2010). Trajectories of pure and co-occurring internalizing and externalizing problems from age 2 to age 12: Findings from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care. Developmental Psychology, 46(5), 1159–1175. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020659CrossRefPubMed Fanti, K. A., & Henrich, C. C. (2010). Trajectories of pure and co-occurring internalizing and externalizing problems from age 2 to age 12: Findings from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care. Developmental Psychology, 46(5), 1159–1175. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1037/​a0020659CrossRefPubMed
go back to reference Fernandes, D. V., Canavarro, M. C., & Moreira, H. (2021). The mediating role of parenting stress in the relationship between anxious and depressive symptomatology, mothers’ perception of infant temperament, and mindful parenting during the postpartum period. Mindfulness, 12(2), 275–290. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-020-01327-4CrossRef Fernandes, D. V., Canavarro, M. C., & Moreira, H. (2021). The mediating role of parenting stress in the relationship between anxious and depressive symptomatology, mothers’ perception of infant temperament, and mindful parenting during the postpartum period. Mindfulness, 12(2), 275–290. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1007/​s12671-020-01327-4CrossRef
go back to reference Fisher, S. D., Brock, R. L., O’Hara, M. W., Kopelman, R., & Stuart, S. (2015). Longitudinal contribution of maternal and paternal depression to toddler behaviors: Interparental conflict and later depression as mediators. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, 4(2), 61–73. https://doi.org/10.1037/cfp0000037CrossRef Fisher, S. D., Brock, R. L., O’Hara, M. W., Kopelman, R., & Stuart, S. (2015). Longitudinal contribution of maternal and paternal depression to toddler behaviors: Interparental conflict and later depression as mediators. Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, 4(2), 61–73. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1037/​cfp0000037CrossRef
go back to reference Gioia, G. A., Isquith, P. K., Guy, S. C., & Kenworthy, L. (2000). Behavior rating inventory of executive function: BRIEF. Psychological Assessment Resources. Gioia, G. A., Isquith, P. K., Guy, S. C., & Kenworthy, L. (2000). Behavior rating inventory of executive function: BRIEF. Psychological Assessment Resources.
go back to reference Letourneau, N., Leung, B., Ntanda, H., Dewey, D., Deane, A. J., & Giesbrecht, G. F. (2019). Maternal and paternal perinatal depressive symptoms associate with 2- and 3-year-old children’s behaviour: Findings from the APrON longitudinal study. BMC Pediatrics, 19(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-019-1775-1CrossRef Letourneau, N., Leung, B., Ntanda, H., Dewey, D., Deane, A. J., & Giesbrecht, G. F. (2019). Maternal and paternal perinatal depressive symptoms associate with 2- and 3-year-old children’s behaviour: Findings from the APrON longitudinal study. BMC Pediatrics, 19(1), 1–13. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1186/​s12887-019-1775-1CrossRef
go back to reference Moreira, H., Gouveia, M. J., & Canavarro, M. C. (2018). Is mindful parenting associated with adolescents’ well-being in early and middle/late adolescence? The mediating role of adolescents’ attachment representations, self-compassion and mindfulness. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 47(8), 1771–1788. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-018-0808-7CrossRefPubMed Moreira, H., Gouveia, M. J., & Canavarro, M. C. (2018). Is mindful parenting associated with adolescents’ well-being in early and middle/late adolescence? The mediating role of adolescents’ attachment representations, self-compassion and mindfulness. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 47(8), 1771–1788. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1007/​s10964-018-0808-7CrossRefPubMed
go back to reference Muthén, L. K., & Muthén, B. O. (2017). MPLUS: Statistical analysis with latent variables: User’s guide (Version 8). Muthén & Muthén. Muthén, L. K., & Muthén, B. O. (2017). MPLUS: Statistical analysis with latent variables: User’s guide (Version 8). Muthén & Muthén.
go back to reference Pietikäinen, J. T., Kiviruusu, O., Kylliäinen, A., Pölkki, P., Saarenpää-Heikkilä, O., Paunio, T., & Paavonen, E. J. (2020). Maternal and paternal depressive symptoms and children’s emotional problems at the age of 2 and 5 years: A longitudinal study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(2), 195–204. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13126CrossRefPubMed Pietikäinen, J. T., Kiviruusu, O., Kylliäinen, A., Pölkki, P., Saarenpää-Heikkilä, O., Paunio, T., & Paavonen, E. J. (2020). Maternal and paternal depressive symptoms and children’s emotional problems at the age of 2 and 5 years: A longitudinal study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(2), 195–204. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1111/​jcpp.​13126CrossRefPubMed
go back to reference Ponnet, K., Wouters, E., Mortelmans, D., Pasteels, I., De Backer, C., Van Leeuwen, K., & Van Hiel, A. (2013). The influence of mothers’ and fathers’ parenting stress and depressive symptoms on own and partner’s parent-child communication. Family Process, 52(2), 312–324. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12001CrossRefPubMed Ponnet, K., Wouters, E., Mortelmans, D., Pasteels, I., De Backer, C., Van Leeuwen, K., & Van Hiel, A. (2013). The influence of mothers’ and fathers’ parenting stress and depressive symptoms on own and partner’s parent-child communication. Family Process, 52(2), 312–324. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1111/​famp.​12001CrossRefPubMed
go back to reference Ren, Y., Han, Z. R., Ahemaitijiang, N., & Zhang, G. (2021). Maternal mindfulness and school-age children’s emotion regulation: Mediation by positive parenting practices and moderation by maternal perceived life stress. Mindfulness,12, 306–318. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-019-01300-w Ren, Y., Han, Z. R., Ahemaitijiang, N., & Zhang, G. (2021). Maternal mindfulness and school-age children’s emotion regulation: Mediation by positive parenting practices and moderation by maternal perceived life stress. Mindfulness,12, 306–318. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1007/​s12671-019-01300-w
go back to reference Rothbarts, M. K., & Bates, J. E. (2006). Temperament. In W. Damon, R. M. Lerner, & N. Eisenberg (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology (6th ed., pp. 99–166). Wiley. Rothbarts, M. K., & Bates, J. E. (2006). Temperament. In W. Damon, R. M. Lerner, & N. Eisenberg (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology (6th ed., pp. 99–166). Wiley.
go back to reference Yeung, N. C. Y., Huang, B., Lau, C. Y. K., & Lau, J. T. F. (2020). Feeling anxious amid the COVID-19 pandemic: Psychosocial correlates of anxiety symptoms among Filipina domestic helpers in Hong Kong. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(21), 8102. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17218102CrossRef Yeung, N. C. Y., Huang, B., Lau, C. Y. K., & Lau, J. T. F. (2020). Feeling anxious amid the COVID-19 pandemic: Psychosocial correlates of anxiety symptoms among Filipina domestic helpers in Hong Kong. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(21), 8102. https://​doi.​org/​10.​3390/​ijerph17218102CrossRef
Metagegevens
Titel
Parents’ Depressive Symptoms and Child Adjustment: the Mediating Role of Mindful Parenting and Children’s Self-Regulation
Auteurs
Rebecca Y. M. Cheung
Wing Yee Cheng
Jian-Bin Li
Chun Bun Lam
Kevin Kien Hoa Chung
Publicatiedatum
06-09-2021
Uitgeverij
Springer US
Gepubliceerd in
Mindfulness / Uitgave 11/2021
Print ISSN: 1868-8527
Elektronisch ISSN: 1868-8535
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-021-01735-0

Andere artikelen Uitgave 11/2021

Mindfulness 11/2021 Naar de uitgave