The Role of Parenting Stress as a Mediator in the Relationship Between Postpartum Depressive Symptoms and Early Childhood Internalizing Behaviour

Parenting stress occurs when demands of the parenting role are perceived as overwhelming and has been proposed as a mechanism through which postpartum mood disturbances may impact child psychopathology. In a prospective longitudinal birth cohort of 111 birthing parent-child dyads, this study examined whether the relationship between birthing parents' mood symptoms in infancy (3 months postpartum) and their child's internalizing behaviour in early childhood (3 and 6 years old) is mediated by parenting stress at 6 months postpartum. The relationship between higher postpartum mood symptoms at 3 months and increased internalizing behaviour at 3 years of age was mediated by increased reports of parenting stress at 6 months (b = .12, 95% CI = .02, .25). This association was not evident at 6 years. Parenting stress in early infancy may provide a treatment target to reduce the impact of perinatal depression on early child behavior.

Automated summary

This study examined the relationship between mood symptoms in birthing parents at 3 months postpartum and their child's internalizing behavior at 3 and 6 years old, and found that parenting stress at 6 months postpartum mediated this relationship. The association between higher postpartum mood symptoms at 3 months and increased internalizing behavior at 3 years old was influenced by increased reports of parenting stress at 6 months. However, this association was not evident at 6 years. Early parenting stress may be a target for reducing the impact of perinatal depression on early child behavior.