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About this paper symposium
| Panel information |
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| Panel 6. Developmental Psychopathology |
| Paper #1 | |
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| Transactional Associations between Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Children’s Inattentive and Hyperactive Symptoms | |
| Author information | Role |
| Dr. Joanne Park, Mount Royal University, Canada | Presenting author |
| André Plamondon, Université Laval, Canada | Non-presenting author |
| Brae Anne McArthur, University of Calgary, Canada | Non-presenting author |
| Suzanne Tough, University of Calgary, Canada | Non-presenting author |
| Sheri Madigan, University of Calgary, Canada | Non-presenting author |
| Abstract | |
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Background and Objectives: Maternal depression has been consistently linked to child ADHD symptoms (Cheung, Aberdeen, Ward, & Theule, 2018), though the direction of this association remains unclear. While longitudinal studies have shown associations between maternal depression and subsequent child ADHD symptoms (Tucker & Hobson, 2022), transactional models also suggest that the relationship may be reciprocal, with effects influencing both mother and child over time (Sameroff, 2009). Despite this, few studies have explored these bidirectional associations, especially during pre-adolescence – a developmental stage marked by the peak prevalence of ADHD symptoms. The present study uses random-intercepts, cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPM) to examine the transactional and reciprocal associations between maternal depression and child ADHD across four timepoints in pre-adolescent children. Methods: Data for this study were drawn from the All Our Families (AOF) pregnancy cohort, which includes multiple waves of data collection. For the current analysis, mothers and children (52% male; ages 9-11 at T1) participated in four selected waves of data collection (T1: July 2020, T2: March 2021, T3: November 2021, and T4: January 2023). At each timepoint, mothers self-reported their depression symptoms and provided socio-demographic information, while children self-reported their hyperactivity and inattention symptoms, as well as socio-demographic information. Results: RI-CLPM analyses indicated a small transactional effect between maternal depression and child hyperactivity across timepoints (Figure 1). However, there was no evidence of cross-lag associations between maternal depression and child inattention (Figure 2). Multi-group RI-CLPM revealed that child sex, child age, ethnicity, and household income did not moderate the cross-lagged associations for hyperactivity or inattention. Conclusions: This study supports transactional models of child development, finding evidence of a reciprocal association between maternal depression and child ADHD, particularly with symptoms of hyperactivity during the pre-adolescent period. These findings suggest that research, interventions, and policy focusing solely on one direction of this association may overlook important dynamics. To maximize effectiveness, future resources should target both maternal mental health and child ADHD concurrently. |
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| Paper #2 | |
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| Testing Bidirectional Effects between Maternal and Child Depression During Middle Childhood | |
| Author information | Role |
| Jackson Hewitt, University of Calgary, Canada | Presenting author |
| Brae Anne McArthur, University of Calgary, Canada | Non-presenting author |
| Ross D. Neville, University College Dublin, Ireland | Non-presenting author |
| Joanne L. Park, Mount Royal University, Canada | Non-presenting author |
| Suzanne Tough, University of Calgary, Canada | Non-presenting author |
| Sheri Madigan, University of Calgary, Canada | Non-presenting author |
| Abstract | |
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Background and Objectives: Depression can be a debilitating experience for children with suboptimal outcomes on development, social functioning, and life course psychological health (Rao & Chen, 2009). As a result, concerted empirical attention has been devoted to understanding its etiology. Decades ago, researchers advanced the notion of a unidirectional “spillover hypothesis” – that is, that parent functioning and depression “spilled over” onto children’s functioning and depression (Goodman et al., 2020). However, child evocative effects have also been proposed. This hypothesis focuses more on the potential for children’s depression to “evoke” depression in parents (Lowthian et al., 2022). While both hypotheses are compelling, the majority of studies to date, which are largely cross-sectional, only examine the unidirectional spillover hypothesis. Thus, it is critical to advance understanding of the potential bidirectional and temporal associations between parent and child depression to appropriately pinpoint targets for prevention and intervention. Using a prospective pregnancy cohort, the overarching aim of this study is to test both potentially co-occurring phenomena. First, we will test the potential bidirectional effects of mother and child depressive symptoms across four waves of data during the middle childhood period. Second, we will test whether child sex and family socioeconomic status moderate associations. Methods: Participants were 1801 mothers and children from an urban city in Canada. Maternal and child depression and demographic information was assessed through validated self-report measures of depressive symptoms (i.e., Behaviour Assessment System for Children; Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-10) at four timepoints (Time 1: Spring 2020, child age 9.66 years; Time 2: Spring 2021, child age 10.40 years; Time 3: Fall-Winter 2021-2022, child age 11.08 years, and Time 4: Winter 2023, child age 12.82 years). Child sex and family socioeconomic status was reported by mothers at Time 1. Results: Results of a random-intercept cross-lagged panel analysis (see Figure 1) revealed that child depression at Time 1 predicted higher maternal depression at Time 2 (β = .12; 95% CI .02, .22). Additionally, child depression at Time 2 predicted higher maternal depression at Time 3 (β = .17; 95% CI .07, .26). The obverse association was not supported. Child sex and family socioeconomic status did not moderate associations. Conclusions: The current study provides high-quality evidence of the directional nature between maternal-child depression, which is opposite to conventional theorizing. Specifically, we found that child depression predicted later heightened maternal depression, but not vice versa. Our study sheds light on the nuances of how depression potentially develops within families. It establishes a framework for future research to incorporate bidirectional and potentially transactional relationships when considering depression transmission within families. Furthermore, it emphasizes the need to incorporate the complex dynamics of family interactions into prevention and intervention efforts. |
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| Paper #3 | |
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| Transactional Relations Between Parent-Adolescent Emotion Dysregulation and Conflict in Families with and without ADHD Adolescents | |
| Author information | Role |
| Stephanie N. Pham, Virginia Tech, United States | Presenting author |
| Stephen Becker, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, USA | Non-presenting author |
| Joshua Langberg, Rutgers University, USA | Non-presenting author |
| Rosanna Breaux, Virginia Tech, USA | Non-presenting author |
| Abstract | |
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Background. Emotion dysregulation (ED) refers to persistent emotions that disrupt goal-directed behavior. ED is a prevalent concern in adolescents, particularly those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), that predicts the amount of family conflict. Despite adolescence being characterized by increased autonomy, caregivers’ regulatory abilities and ED still impact adolescents’ ED. Although relations between ED in adolescents and greater levels of family conflict and ED in caregivers has been established, few studies have sought to elucidate the transactional relations between parent and adolescent ED and parent-adolescent conflict over time, and whether these associations differ for at-risk clinical populations, such as families of adolescents with ADHD. Further, there are competing recommendations regarding the best way to examine such transactional relations; as such, this study compared traditional and contemporary cross-lagged designs to analyze these reciprocal relations using longitudinal data across mid-adolescence. Methods. Multi-group cross-lagged panel models (CLPM) and random-intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPM) between three timepoints were examined as secondary analyses of a larger longitudinal study that included 302 adolescents (ages 12–14, 45.9% female; 81.5% White) with (N = 162) and without (N = 140) a diagnosis of ADHD, and their caregivers (83.8% mothers). Caregivers and adolescents reported on the Difficulties with Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-18), and parent-report on the Conflict Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ) was used to assess parent-adolescent conflict. Results. A similar fit was found for the multi-group and constrained CLPM and RI-CLPM; however, since there were meaningful differences between groups for both models, we decided to interpret the multi-group models. For the RI-CLPM, in the comparison group, both parent and adolescent ED significantly predicted parent-adolescent conflict from 8th to 9th grade (βparent = .551; βadolescent = .324; ps < .001). However, from 10th to 11th grade, only parent ED continued to predict conflict (βparent = .463; p < .05). In the ADHD sample, autoregressive paths were significant for both parents (βparent = .439; p < .05) and adolescents (βadolescent = .573-.594; p < .05); however, neither parent nor adolescent ED and conflict predicted one another. Similarly, traditional CLPM analyses in the comparison group indicated that parent ED significantly predicted parent-adolescent conflict from 8th to 9th grade (β = .191; p < .05) and 10th to 11th grade (β = .237; p < .01). Additionally, earlier parent ED and parent-adolescent conflict consistently predicted later ED (βparent = .468-.712; p < .001) and conflict (βparent = .393-.592; p < .001). In the ADHD group, earlier parent ED (βparent = .591-.637; p < .001), adolescent ED (βadolescent = .300-.481; p < .01), and parent-adolescent conflict (β = .684-.704; p < .001) positively predicted later outcomes. In terms of reciprocal relations, only parent ED when adolescents were in 10th grade predicted parent-adolescent conflict in 11th grade (β parent = .202; p <.01). Discussion. Implications of these differential findings between families of adolescents with and without ADHD will be discussed, alongside practical applications of these findings and methodological of traditional and contemporary cross-lagged models for examining parent-adolescent reciprocal relations over time. |
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| Paper #4 | |
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| Bidirectional Associations Between Parent-Child Conflict and Child and Adolescent Mental Health | |
| Author information | Role |
| Dr. Ross D. Neville, University College Dublin, Ireland | Presenting author |
| Sheri Madigan, University of Calgary, Canada | Non-presenting author |
| Lisa R. Fortuna, University of California, Riverside, USA | Non-presenting author |
| Michelle V. Porche, University of California, Riverside, USA | Non-presenting author |
| Kimberley D. Lakes, University of California, Riverside, USA | Non-presenting author |
| Abstract | |
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Background and Objective. Parent-child conflict has been consistently associated with internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Theoretically, high levels of parent-child conflict create a hostile home environment and may adversely impact self-esteem and hinder children’s ability to express their emotions due to fear of judgment, dismissal, or reprisal, contributing to internalizing problems. Additionally, high levels of parent-child conflict may impair the child’s ability to develop self-regulation skills. Lack of opportunities to learn self-regulation can, in turn, lead to child externalizing behaviors and misconduct. Two significant gaps exist in the literature, which, if addressed, could help to inform evidence-based strategies to improve parent-child relational interventions. First, although there is evidence that internalizing and externalizing symptoms manifest in early childhood, studies of the association between parent-child conflict and mental health problems continue to draw insights primarily from data collected later in development. Second, knowledge about the direction of the association between parent-child conflict and internalizing and externalizing symptoms continues to be driven almost exclusively by the theoretical assumption of a unidirectional link from parent-child conflict to later child internalizing and externalizing symptoms. However, this unidirectional assumption fails to properly account for insights from more cyclical or transactional models of development, which also suggest that children with behavioral problems can evoke the type of caregiving that they receive. In other words, it fails to answer the critical question of what comes first –parent-child conflict or children’s externalizing and internalizing symptoms? The objective of this study is to estimate the longitudinal bidirectional association between parent-child conflict and child externalizing and internalizing symptoms from the preschool years through adolescence. Methods. A nationally representative longitudinal study recruited 11,134 children at birth and followed them from December 2010 through June 2022. Primary caregivers completed validated measures of parent-child conflict (i.e., Pianta Child-Parent Relationship Scale Short Form) and behavior problems (i.e., Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire at each wave, yielding data on parent-child conflict and child symptoms at ages 3, 5, 7, 9, and 13yrs. Data were analyzed using a random-intercepts cross-lagged panel model. Results. A total of 9,793 children were assessed at age 3yrs, 9,001 at age 5yrs, 5,344 at age 7yrs, 8,032 at age 9yrs, and 6,655 at age 13yrs (50% female). Externalizing symptoms at ages 3, 5, and 7yrs were prospectively associated with parent-child conflict at ages 5, 7, and 9yrs (see Figure 1). The opposite associations were not observed, indicating a unidirectional link between child externalizing symptoms and later parent-child conflict during childhood. However, parent-child conflict at age 9yrs was prospectively associated with child externalizing symptoms at age 13yrs. The opposite prospective association was not observed, indicating a reversal in the direction of the association between externalizing symptoms and parent-child conflict during early adolescence. Prospective associations between parent-reported internalizing symptoms and parent-child conflict were not observed in either direction. Conclusions. Findings underscore the importance of both the timing and targeted nature of interventions for children’s mental health. Supporting children’s early self-regulation skills could be an effective intervention for preventing parent-child conflict later in development. |
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Exploring the "Chicken or the Egg" Question: Testing Bidirectional Influences in Parent-Child Interactions
Submission Type
Paper Symposium
Description
| Session Title | Exploring the "Chicken or the Egg" Question: Testing Bidirectional Influences in Parent-Child Interactions |