when the going gets tough: parental depression as both response and predictor of adolescent...

When the Going Gets Tough: Parental Depression as When the Going Gets Tough: Parental Depression as

Both Response and Predictor of Adolescent Both Response and Predictor of Adolescent

Externalizing Behavior Over 3 YearsExternalizing Behavior Over 3 Years

Joseph P. AllenJoseph P. Allen

Jill AntonishakJill Antonishak

Nell Manning Nell Manning

University of VirginiaUniversity of Virginia Collaborators:Maryfrances Porter, Ph.D.Penny MarshKathleen McElhaney, Ph.D.F. Christy McFarlandJessica Meyer

Farah WilliamsDebbie Land, Ph.D.Katie LittleJennifer Haynes

Martin HoMindy Schmidt, Ph.D.Glenda Insabella, Ph.D.Wrenn ThompsonJoanna Chango

Copies of this and related papers are available at:WWW.TEENRESEARCH.ORG

Maternal Depression and Offspring Antisocial Maternal Depression and Offspring Antisocial Behavior (ASB) Behavior (ASB)

Depressed Mothers Often Have Antisocial ChildrenDepressed Mothers Often Have Antisocial Children

Maternal Depression as a Risk Factor for ASBMaternal Depression as a Risk Factor for ASB

Even when maternal depression is assessed prenatallyEven when maternal depression is assessed prenatally

A form of parental “backing down”?A form of parental “backing down”?

Less Clear How Process Plays Out In AdolescenceLess Clear How Process Plays Out In Adolescence

Questions About Maternal Depression and Questions About Maternal Depression and Antisocial BehaviorAntisocial Behavior in Adolescence in Adolescence

A Simple Effect of Maternal Reporting Bias? A Simple Effect of Maternal Reporting Bias?

Do Depressed Mothers (mis) perceive their children as less Do Depressed Mothers (mis) perceive their children as less well-behaved?well-behaved?

Does maternal depression predict Does maternal depression predict future increases future increases in teen in teen misbehavior?misbehavior?

Could maternal depression be a Could maternal depression be a reactionreaction to teen to teen misbehavior?misbehavior?

SampleSample

184 Adolescents, their Parents, Best Friends, and Other 184 Adolescents, their Parents, Best Friends, and Other FriendsFriends

Equal numbers of Males and FemalesEqual numbers of Males and Females

Assessed Annually, Beginning at Age 13Assessed Annually, Beginning at Age 13

Highly Socio-economically Diverse (Median Family Income= Highly Socio-economically Diverse (Median Family Income= $40- $60K)$40- $60K)

31% African American; 69% European American31% African American; 69% European American

Intensive Interviews and Observations with all parties (Parents, Intensive Interviews and Observations with all parties (Parents, teens, best friends, other friends) (Total N over first 6 years ~ teens, best friends, other friends) (Total N over first 6 years ~ 1200).1200).

Measures: Maternal DepressionMeasures: Maternal Depression

Beck Depression Inventory Beck Depression Inventory (Beck et al., 1993)(Beck et al., 1993)

Maternal self-reportMaternal self-report

21-items assessing symptoms such as:21-items assessing symptoms such as:

guiltguilt

depressed mooddepressed mood

suicidal thoughtssuicidal thoughts

insomniainsomnia

Continuum/severity approach Continuum/severity approach

Measures: Externalizing BehaviorMeasures: Externalizing Behavior

Obtained from Multiple reporters via multiple measures:Obtained from Multiple reporters via multiple measures:

Child Behavior Checklist Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach & Edelbrock, 1981)(Achenbach & Edelbrock, 1981)

Short-form of CBCL for teens Short-form of CBCL for teens (Lizotte, Chard-Wierschem, Loeber, & Stern, 1992) (Lizotte, Chard-Wierschem, Loeber, & Stern, 1992)

Youth Self Report Youth Self Report (Achenbach, 1991)(Achenbach, 1991)

Assessing symptoms of externalizing behavior including: aggression, Assessing symptoms of externalizing behavior including: aggression, hostility, delinquency, hyperactivity and immaturityhostility, delinquency, hyperactivity and immaturity

Reporters include:Reporters include: MothersMothers FathersFathers YouthsYouths Close and Other FriendsClose and Other Friends

Questions About Maternal Depression and Questions About Maternal Depression and Antisocial BehaviorAntisocial Behavior in Adolescencein Adolescence

Does the link just reflect maternal bias?Does the link just reflect maternal bias?

Does maternal depression predict Does maternal depression predict increasing increasing teen teen misbehavior over a 3-year span?misbehavior over a 3-year span?


Do Depressed Mothers See Externalizing Behavior Do Depressed Mothers See Externalizing Behavior That Others Don’t See?That Others Don’t See?

Teen Externalizing Teen Externalizing

(Maternal Report)(Maternal Report)

EntryEntry

FinalFinal RR22

Total Total RR22

Externalizing (Teen Report)Externalizing (Teen Report) .31**.31** .31**.31** .09**.09** .09**.09**

Modest correlation between maternal and teen report of teen externalizing behavior




EntryEntry

FinalFinal RR22

Total Total RR22

Externalizing (Teen Report)Externalizing (Teen Report) .31**.31** .26**.26** .09**.09** .09**.09**

Maternal Depression (BDI)Maternal Depression (BDI) .47***.47*** .47***.47*** .22***.22*** .31***.31***

Maternal Depression Accounts for a great deal of the misbehavior that mothers see but teens do not.




EntryEntry

FinalFinal RR22

Total Total RR22

Externalizing (Teen Report)Externalizing (Teen Report) .31**.31** .16*.16* .09**.09** .09**.09**


Externalizing (Paternal Report)Externalizing (Paternal Report) .54***.54*** .54***.54*** .28***.28*** .59***.59***

Some of the misbehavior seen by depressed mothers turns out to be seen by fathers as well




EntryEntry

FinalFinal RR22

Total Total RR22

Externalizing (Teen Report)Externalizing (Teen Report) .31**.31** .13+.13+ .09**.09** .09**.09**


Externalizing (Paternal Report)Externalizing (Paternal Report) .54***.54*** .51***.51*** .28***.28*** .59***.59***Externalizing (Close Frnd Report)Externalizing (Close Frnd Report) .04.04 .04.04 .00.00 .59***.59***

Externalizing (Other Frnd Report)Externalizing (Other Frnd Report) .27***.27*** .27***.27*** .06***.06*** .65***.65***

The role of maternal depression in explaining what mothers see decreases still further when we also consider what peers see.

Depressed Mothers May Not Be Biased,Depressed Mothers May Not Be Biased,They May Be RealistsThey May Be Realists

If we compare mothers to any other If we compare mothers to any other single single reporter, reporter,

they appear to see misbehavior that others don’t see.they appear to see misbehavior that others don’t see.

But…But…

as we consider as we consider multiplemultiple vantage points on teen misbehavior, vantage points on teen misbehavior, maternal perceptions appear to reflect what others collectively maternal perceptions appear to reflect what others collectively do see do see

Does Maternal Depression Predict Future Increases Does Maternal Depression Predict Future Increases in Teen Externalizing Behavior?in Teen Externalizing Behavior?

Teen Externalizing (Age 16)Teen Externalizing (Age 16)

((PaternalPaternal Report) Report)

RR22

Total Total RR22

Step I.Step I. Teen Externalizing Teen Externalizing (Paternal report) Age 13(Paternal report) Age 13

.52**.52** .27***.27*** .27***.27***

Teen Externalizing Behavior Displays Moderate Stability



((PaternalPaternal Report) Report)

RR22

Total Total RR22

Step I.Step I. Teen Externalizing Teen Externalizing (Paternal report) Age 13(Paternal report) Age 13

.52**.52** .27***.27*** .27***.27***

Step II.Step II.

Maternal Depression (BDI)Maternal Depression (BDI)

(Teen Age 13)(Teen Age 13)

.35***.35*** .13***.13*** .40***.40***

Maternal Depression Predicts Increasing Teen Externalizing Behavior



((MaternalMaternal Report) Report)

RR22

Total Total RR22

Step I.Step I. Teen Externalizing Teen Externalizing (Maternal report) Age 13(Maternal report) Age 13

.66***.66*** .43***.43*** .43***.43***

Step II.Step II.

Maternal Depression (BDI)Maternal Depression (BDI)


.16*.16* .03*.03* .46***.46***

Increases are Predicted Whether We Examine Paternal or Maternal Reports of Teen Problem Behavior

Maternal Depression as a Mediator of Change in Maternal Depression as a Mediator of Change in Teen Externalizing BehaviorTeen Externalizing Behavior

Teen Externalizing

Maternal Depression

Teen Externalizing

Age 13 Age 16

.51***

.31**


Teen Externalizing

Maternal Depression

Teen Externalizing

??

Age 13 Age 16

.51***

.31**

?

?


Teen Externalizing

Maternal Depression

Teen Externalizing

MaternalDepression

Age 13 Age 16

.51***

.12

.66***

.28*

Maternal Depression and Maternal Depression and Teen Externalizing BehaviorTeen Externalizing Behavior

Teen Externalizing

Maternal Depression

Teen Externalizing

MaternalDepression

Age 13 Age 16

.51***

.66***

.28*

??

Teen Externalizing Behavior Predicting Change inTeen Externalizing Behavior Predicting Change inMaternal Depression (Ages 13 to 16)Maternal Depression (Ages 13 to 16)

Maternal DepressionMaternal Depression


EntryEntry

FinalFinal RR22

Total Total RR22

Step I.Step I. Maternal DepressionMaternal Depression (Teen Age 13)(Teen Age 13)

.73***.73*** .52***.52*** .44***.44*** .44***.44***

Maternal Depressive Symptoms are Highly Stable




EntryEntry

FinalFinal RR22

Total Total RR22


.73***.73*** .52***.52*** .44***.44*** .44***.44***

Step II. Step II.

Teen Externalizing (13)Teen Externalizing (13) .16*.16* .18**.18** .02*.02* .46***.46***

Teen Externalizing Behavior Adds to Maternal Depression Over Time




EntryEntry

FinalFinal RR22

Total Total RR22


.73***.73*** .52***.52*** .44***.44*** .44***.44***

Step II. Step II.

Teen Externalizing (13)Teen Externalizing (13) .16*.16* .18**.18** .02*.02* .46***.46***

Step III. Step III.

Depression X ExternalizingDepression X Externalizing .23***.23*** .23***.23*** .05***.05*** .51***.51***

Externalizing Behavior Interacts with Baseline Maternal Depression to Predict Future Maternal Depression.

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

Mat

erna

l Dep

ress

ion

(Age

16)

Low TeenExternalizing

High TeenExternalizing

Low Maternal Depression at Baseline

Interaction of Baseline Maternal Depression & Teen Interaction of Baseline Maternal Depression & Teen Externalizing Predicting Future Maternal DepressionExternalizing Predicting Future Maternal Depression

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

Mat

erna

l Dep

ress

ion

(Age

16)

Low TeenExternalizing

High TeenExternalizing

High Maternal Depressionat Baseline

Low Maternal Depression at Baseline

Interaction of Baseline Maternal Depression & Teen Interaction of Baseline Maternal Depression & Teen Externalizing Predicting Future Maternal DepressionExternalizing Predicting Future Maternal Depression

Initially Depressed Mothers Appear

Particularly Vulnerable to Teen Externalizing

Behavior

SummarySummary

A self-sustaining negative feedback loop?A self-sustaining negative feedback loop?

Maternal Depression Maternal Depression Increasing Teen Problem BehaviorIncreasing Teen Problem Behavior

Teen Problem Behavior Teen Problem Behavior Increasing Maternal DepressionIncreasing Maternal Depression

Especially for the most depressed/vulnerable mothersEspecially for the most depressed/vulnerable mothers

Dominance/Submissiveness Processes in Depression Dominance/Submissiveness Processes in Depression

Becoming embedded within family interaction patterns over Becoming embedded within family interaction patterns over timetime

LimitationsLimitations

Non-experimental Nature of DataNon-experimental Nature of Data

Normal sample may not generalize to highly disturbed Normal sample may not generalize to highly disturbed samplessamples

Role of fathers still to be examinedRole of fathers still to be examined

ConclusionsConclusions

Evidence of an Unfortunate Feedback LoopEvidence of an Unfortunate Feedback Loop

Its About Not Just Its About Not Just How How Parents Behave, But Parents Behave, But WhyWhy

Need for Intervention to Alter Family Need for Intervention to Alter Family SystemsSystems, Not Just , Not Just IndividualsIndividuals

This study was made possible by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health. Copies of this and related papers are available at:

WWW.TEENRESEARCH.ORG

when the going gets tough: parental depression as both response and predictor of adolescent...

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