Parental depression can interfere with numerous aspects of parents’ lives, including parenting behaviors. Previous research has explored the relationship between past parental depression or current depressive symptoms and negative parenting behaviors. The current study investigates two models of mediation to explain the relationship between parental depression and parenting. In the first, it explores whether mindfulness mediates the relationship between past depression severity and three parenting behaviors: withdrawn/disengaged parenting, low levels of positive parenting and poor monitoring/supervision. In the second, it explores whether mindfulness mediates the relationship between current depressive symptoms and four parenting behaviors: withdrawn/disengaged parenting, low levels of positive parenting, poor monitoring/supervision and inconsistent discipline. The sample draws from two research sites, one in Burlington, Vermont and the other in Nashville, Tennessee and included previously or currently depressed parents (n=121; mean age = 42.5 years, SD = 7.40 years, range = 24-69), and their 9-15 year old children (n=167; mean age = 11.40 years, SD = 2.30 years, range = 9-15). All participating parents and children completed written measures at the time of their initial assessment. The overall findings of this study indicate that parents’ current depressive symptoms, but not past depression severity, increase the risk of low levels of positive parenting and parenting with greater inconsistent discipline, and that these associations are mediated by a parent’s level of mindfulness.

This study examined the role of filial responsibility as a mediator between parental depression and posttraumatic stress symptomatology (PTSS) in Bosnian youths. The sample consisted of 145 6PthP-8PthP grade boys and girls and their parents. Unfairness and caregiving scales were combined in an interaction term to test the hypothesis. Parental depression significantly predicted parental report of adolescent PTSS but the filial responsibility variables did not significantly mediate the relationship between parental depression and PTSS. A post-hoc analysis examined the role of filial responsibility mediating the relationship between parental education level and PTSS. The interaction terms did not significantly mediate the relationship but the unfairness variable significantly mediated the relationship between parental education level and adolescent report of PTSS.

Background/aims. Self-compassion is an approach of kindness towards the self; encompassing self-kindness, common humanity and mindfulness (Neff, 2003b). It is thought to enable awareness that suffering is common within human experience, encouraging compassion for others. Parental sensitivity and attributions are considered to influence parent-child relationships and have been negatively associated with depression. This study aimed to explore associations between parent self-compassion, attributions of child behaviour and sensitive responding in recurrently depressed parents. Methods/participants. This was a correlational design using baseline data from a feasibility randomised controlled trial of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. The 38 participants had experienced recurrent major depressive episodes, were in remission and had at least one child between two and six years old. Self-compassion was measured by the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS; Neff, 2003b). Parent attributions of child behaviour were assessed by semi-structured interviews and rated using the Attributions Measure (S. Scott & M. Dadds, personal communication, 2009). Sensitivity was assessed using a parent-child observation task and rated by the Coding of Attachment-Related Parenting (Matias, Scott & O’Connor, 2006). Results. Findings show significant correlations between higher SCS total scores and external attributions of positive or negative valence. The SCS subscale self-judgement was significantly negatively correlated with sensitivity. Conclusion. In conclusion, higher self-compassion was positively associated with external attributions of child behaviour in either situation. Parents with higher levels of self-compassion also showed positive associations with sensitivity. These associations support current theories suggesting self-compassion could be positively associated with parenting. Areas for future research and clinical implications are considered.

No description available.

Extant research suggests a link between child temperamental negativity and parental anxiety and depression. However, most studies focus on temperamental negativity generally, and over fairly short longitudinal time spans. The present study extended the time span well beyond immediate postnatal infancy and explored associations between specific child temperament dimensions, both positive and negative, and parental psychopathology. We expected positive relationships between temperamental negative affectivity and parental mental health problems, but an inverse relation involving temperamental effortful control. Data were collected on child temperament, and parental anxiety and depression, using a cross-sectional design and anonymous survey methodology across five child age groups: infancy (INF; 3 - 13 months, N ≅ 83), toddler (TOD; 14 - 36 months, N ≅ 94), early childhood (EC; 3 - 7 years, N ≅ 81), middle/late childhood (MLC; 8 - 10 years, N ≅ 31), and early adolescence (EA; 10 - 15 years, N ≅ 38). REDCap survey links were published on several dozen social media outlets and relevant listservs. Across all datasets, parental respondents primarily identified as white and female. Child gender distribution was approximately equal between girls and boys. We used the Rothbart family of instruments to assess temperamental negative affectivity and effortful control in each sample (i.e., IBQ-R Short Form, ECBQ Short Form, CBQ Short Form, TMCQ Standard Form, and EATQ-R Short Form, respectively). Parental anxiety was measured by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7), and parental depression was measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Associations involving child negative affectivity were generally consistent with expectations. Results indicated positive correlations between parental anxiety and child negative affectivity in 4 out of 5 groups (INF: r(83) = .25, p = .02; TOD: r(94) = .27, p = .01; EC: r(81) = .37, p < .001; EA: r(39) = .57, p < .001), and between parental depression and child negative affectivity in all age groups (INF: r(81) = .26, p = .02; TOD: r(91) = .22, p = .03; EAC: r(80) = .26, p = .02; MLC: r(30) = .42, p = .02; EAA: r(37) = .42, p = .01). Effortful control was negatively, but less robustly, correlated with parental anxiety (TOD: r(94) = -.22, p = .03; EAA: r(39) = -.44, p = .02) and depression (TOD: r(91) = -.29, p = .01; MLC: r(30) = .45, p = .01). Although we make no assumptions regarding directions of effect between child temperament and parental mental health, bidirectional influences seem likely. For example, parental mental health problems probably exacerbate temperamental negative affectivity, and temperamental negative affectivity probably exacerbates parental mental health problems. This study provides an important expansion of the timeframes of associations between parental mental health and child temperament.

No description available.

Childhood obesity is a serious public health problem. The present study investigated the association of parental educational background and social support with children’s weight status, and assessed whether parental depression influences the association of educational background and social support with children’s weight status. The study included data from 175 children in Stockholm County aged 4–6 years with obesity and a mean body mass index (BMI) standard deviation score (SDS) of 3.2; 45% of the cohort were male. Data included information provided by 98 mothers and 93 fathers. Forty-four percent of mothers had a university education, 66% were overweight or obese, and 77% displayed minimal depression symptoms. Forty-six percent of fathers had a university education, 52% were overweight or obese, and 87% displayed minimal depression symptoms. The association between parental educational background and social support and child BMI SDS was investigated using regression analysis for mothers and fathers. Results showed that educational level reported by fathers was negatively associated with high BMI SDS among children. Even after controlling for covariates, a low level of paternal education remained associated with a high BMI SDS among the children. Neither social support nor parental depression modified the effect of parental education on child BMI SDS.

No description available.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is usually associated with deficits in Organization, Time Management, and Planning skills (OTMP; Pfiffner et al., 2013). Without adequate intervention, students with ADHD are more at risk of significant academic difficulties during the transition to secondary school mainly because of the increased organizational demands and expectations of greater autonomy characterizing this learning environment (Litner, 2003). The objective of this thesis was to better understand the factors associated with the effectiveness of the TRANSITION Project (Normandeau et al., 2011), a multimodal intervention aiming to support parents and ADHD children as they transition from primary school (Grade 6) to secondary school (Secondary 1). It includes a) a group intervention component for youths, targeting the improvement of OTMP and study skills, b) a group intervention component for parents, targeting the adoption of effective educational strategies to support their child in their learning activities, and c) a mentoring component in participants’ homes, for individualized support for youths and parents in acquiring the targeted skills. To participate in the study, children had to present a diagnosis of ADHD confirmed during a diagnostic interview based on DSM-IV criteria and certified by a physician. Families were randomly assigned to an intervention group or a group receiving usual community services. Improvement in OTMP skills at the end of secondary 1 was measured using a two-dimensional questionnaire (Time Management and Planning skills; Memorization and Material Management). The first article verified whether some individual (sex, comorbidity, intensity of ADHD symptoms) or familial characteristics (parental depression, parental stress, stressful life events) modulated the effectiveness of the TRANSITION Project in improving children's OTMP skills. Moderation analysis showed that OTMP skills improvement is influenced by few individual and family characteristics. The benefits of the TRANSITION Project in terms of Memorization and Material Management skills improvement are particularly favored in children presenting more ADHD residual symptoms following pharmacological treatment. Parental depressive symptoms reduce the added value of the intervention in terms of improving Time Management and Planning skills. The second article aimed to verify whether the OTMP skills improvement at the end of secondary 1 occurred through an effect of the TRANSITION Project on parental practices. Multivariate regression analysis and test of indirect effects (using PROCESS software) showed that parents' participation in the TRANSITION Project was associated with greater consistency in the use of effective parenting practices, which contributed to the improvement of the child’s OTMP skills. Globally, the studies presented in the thesis support the effectiveness of the TRANSITION Project and the relevance of an intervention tailored to the needs of youths with ADHD and their family during the transition from primary to secondary school. / Le trouble déficit de l'attention avec ou sans hyperactivité (TDAH) est généralement associé à des difficultés d’organisation du temps et de l’espace, et de planification de l’étude (OTEPE) (Pfiffner et al., 2013) persistant même avec l’utilisation d’un traitement pharmacologique. Sans intervention adéquate, les jeunes ayant un TDAH sont à risque de difficultés scolaires importantes, et ce particulièrement lors de la transition primaire-secondaire où ils seront confrontés à une augmentation des exigences organisationnelles et des attentes d’autonomie (Litner, 2003). L’objectif de cette thèse était de mieux cerner les facteurs associés à l’efficacité du Projet TRANSITION (Normandeau et al., 2011), un programme d'intervention multimodal visant à soutenir les jeunes ayant un TDAH et leur famille lors de la transition primaire-secondaire par l’amélioration des habiletés d’OTEPE du jeune, et l’acquisition de stratégies éducatives parentales adaptées afin de soutenir la mise en pratique des stratégies d’OTEPE du jeune. L’intervention se déroule de la fin de la 6e année primaire à la fin du secondaire 1, et comporte deux volets de groupe (jeunes; parents) et un volet de mentorat à domicile. Afin de participer à l’étude, les jeunes devaient présenter un diagnostic de TDAH (attesté par un médecin) et être sous traitement pharmacologique (dosage optimal). Les familles ont été assignées aléatoirement entre un groupe recevant l’intervention et un groupe recevant les services usuels de la communauté. L’amélioration des habiletés d’OTEPE à la fin du secondaire 1 était mesurée à l’aide d’un questionnaire à deux dimensions (mémorisation et organisation du matériel; gestion du temps et de planification). Le premier article de la thèse visait à vérifier si certaines caractéristiques présentes chez les participants avant le début de l’intervention (sexe de l’enfant, problèmes co-occurrents, intensité des symptômes de TDAH, dépression parentale, stress parental, événements de vie stressants) modulaient l’efficacité du Projet TRANSITION sur l’amélioration des habiletés d’OTEPE des jeunes. Les analyses de modération ont mis en évidence que l’amélioration des habiletés d’OTEPE chez les jeunes est influencée par peu des caractéristiques individuelles et familiales étudiées. Les bénéfices du Projet TRANSITION pour l’amélioration des habiletés de mémorisation et organisation du matériel sont particulièrement marqués chez les jeunes présentant davantage de symptômes résiduels de TDAH suite au traitement pharmacologique. À l’inverse, la présence de symptômes dépressifs chez le parent réduit la valeur ajoutée de l’intervention au niveau de l’amélioration des habiletés de gestion du temps et de planification. Le second article vérifiait si l’amélioration des habiletés d’OTEPE à la fin du secondaire 1 se produisait notamment par le biais d’un effet du Projet TRANSITION sur les pratiques parentales. Les analyses de régressions linéaires et tests d’effet indirect par échantillonnage multiples (logiciel PROCESS) ont mis en évidence que la participation des parents au Projet TRANSITION était associée à une meilleure constance dans l’utilisation des pratiques parentales efficaces, et que celle-ci contribuait à l’amélioration des habiletés d’OTEPE des jeunes. Globalement les résultats de ce travail doctoral appuient l’efficacité du Projet TRANSITION et soutiennent la pertinence d’offrir une intervention adaptée aux besoins des jeunes ayant un TDAH et de leur famille lors du passage primaire-secondaire.

Contexte : La santé mentale des parents est déterminante pour celle de leurs enfants, étant associée à celle-ci par des mécanismes génétiques, sociaux et environnementaux. La dépression est un des problèmes de santé mentale les plus prévalents chez les parents en période postnatale, et plusieurs études ont montré des associations entre celle-ci et le développement des enfants à court et long terme. Or, peu d’études nous renseignent quant aux rôles distincts et combinés de la dépression maternelle et paternelle dans l’émergence de problèmes internalisés et externalisés au cours de l’enfance et l’adolescence dans divers contextes socio-économiques, ainsi qu’aux processus familiaux impliqués dans ces associations. Ce manque de connaissances limite de notre capacité à développer des interventions ciblant l’ensemble du système familial, adaptées pour les mères et les pères et tenant compte des inégalités socio-économiques de santé. Objectifs : Étudier les rôles distincts et combinés de la dépression postnatale de la mère et du père sur le développement socio-émotionnel de l’enfant dans divers contextes socio-économiques, ainsi que les processus familiaux impliqués. La thèse comporte trois objectifs : 1) Tester les associations entre la dépression postnatale de chacun des parents et les symptômes internalisés/externalisés de la petite enfance à l’adolescence (1,5 à 17 ans), et si celles-ci sont modérées par le statut socio-économique familial (SES); 2) Identifier quel modèle théorique (maternel unique, additif, synergique ou croisé) décrit mieux la dynamique entre la dépression postnatale maternelle et paternelle, en association avec les symptômes internalisés/externalisés de l’enfance à l’adolescence (3,5 à 17 ans), dans les familles à faible et à haut SES; et 3) Tester le rôle de mécanismes familiaux pouvant potentiellement expliquer que les dépressions postnatales maternelle et paternelle soient associées aux symptômes internalisés/externalisés de l’enfance à l’adolescence (3,5 à 17 ans). Méthodes : La thèse repose sur l’utilisation des données de l’Étude longitudinale du développement des enfants du Québec, une cohorte de naissance représentative (1997-98) du Québec, Canada. Les symptômes dépressifs maternels et paternels ont été mesurés cinq mois après la naissance, à l’aide du Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Les symptômes internalisés/externalisés des enfants ont été rapportés par les mères, les pères, les enseignants et les enfants, avec le Social Behavior Questionnaire (1,5 à 13 ans) et le Mental Health and Social Inadaptation Assessment for Adolescents (15 à 17 ans). Les indicateurs du SES ont été rapportés 4 par la mère à 5 mois. Les pratiques parentales, la satisfaction conjugale et le fonctionnement familial ont été rapportés par chacun des parents à 2,5 et/ou 3,5 ans. Des modèles linéaires à effets mixtes à trois niveaux ont été utilisés pour tester les associations pour les articles 1 et 2. Des modèles à équations structurelles ont été utilisés pour tester les médiations de l’article 3. Résultats : 1) La dépression postnatale de chacun des parents était associée à un niveau plus élevé de symptômes/problèmes de santé mentale chez l’enfant, cette association étant plus forte dans les familles à faible SES qu’à haut SES; 2) Dans les familles ayant un faible SES, les résultats ont appuyé le modèle synergique : la dépression postnatale du père a exacerbé la force des associations entre la dépression postnatale de la mère et les symptômes internalisés/externalisés. Dans les familles ayant un haut SES, les résultats ont appuyé le modèle maternel unique, puisque la dépression maternelle était associée à une augmentation des symptômes internalisés/externalisés, alors que la dépression paternelle ne l’était pas; 3) La dépression postnatale de la mère était associée à la santé mentale de l’enfant principalement via les pratiques parentales coercitives maternelles et le fonctionnement familial et, dans une moindre mesure, par un effet de débordement sur la satisfaction conjugale paternelle. La dépression postnatale du père était associée à la santé mentale de l’enfant principalement via le fonctionnement familial, ensuite via la satisfaction conjugale paternelle, et dans une moindre mesure, via les pratiques parentales paternelles. Conclusions : La dépression postnatale maternelle et paternelle ainsi que le faible SES familial constituent des facteurs de risque pour les problèmes internalisés et externalisés au cours de l’enfance et l’adolescence. L’accumulation de ces facteurs est associée à un risque de problèmes de santé mentale encore plus élevé que la somme des risques reliés à chacun de ceux-ci séparément. Ces données suggèrent que les programmes de santé publique et les services de santé mentale devraient adopter une approche universelle proportionnée pour prévenir la dépression parentale en période postnatale ainsi que les problèmes de santé mentale chez les enfants exposés à celle-ci. Les pratiques parentales de la mère, la satisfaction conjugale du père et le fonctionnement familial sont les principaux mécanismes impliqués dans les associations entre la dépression parentale postnatale et la santé mentale de l’enfant et sont des avenues à considérer pour la recherche et l’intervention visant à prévenir la transmission intergénérationnelle des problèmes de santé mentale. / Context: The mental health of parents plays a crucial role in the well-being of their children, being linked through genetic, social, and environmental mechanisms. Depression is one of the most prevalent mental health issues among parents in the postnatal period, and several studies have shown associations between maternal and paternal depression and the short- and long-term development of children. However, few studies provide insight into the distinct and combined roles of maternal and paternal depression in the emergence of internalizing and externalizing problems during childhood and adolescence in various socioeconomic contexts, as well as the family processes involved in these associations. This lack of knowledge limits our ability to develop interventions targeting the entire family system, tailored for both mothers and fathers, and accounting for socioeconomic health inequalities. Objectives: Studying the distinct and combined roles of maternal and paternal postnatal depression in the socio-emotional development of the child across various socioeconomic contexts, as well as the family processes involved. The thesis has three objectives: 1) To test the associations between postnatal depression in each parent and internalizing/externalizing symptoms from early childhood to adolescence (1,5 to 17 years), and whether these associations are moderated by family socioeconomic status (SES); 2) To identify which theoretical model (maternal unique, additive, synergistic, or crossover) best describes the dynamics between maternal and paternal postnatal depression in association with internalizing/externalizing symptoms from childhood to adolescence (3,5 to 17 years) in low and high SES families; and 3) To test whether maternal and paternal postnatal depression are associated with internalizing/externalizing symptoms from childhood to adolescence (3,5 to 17 years) through parenting practices, marital satisfaction, and family functioning. Methods: The thesis relies on the use of data from the Québec Longitudinal Study of Child Development, a representative birth cohort (1997-98) from Québec, Canada. Maternal and paternal depressive symptoms were measured five months after birth using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Child internalizing/externalizing symptoms were reported by mothers, fathers, teachers, and children themselves using the Social Behavior Questionnaire (1,5 to 13 years) and the Mental Health and Social Inadaptation Assessment for Adolescents (15 to 17 years). SES indicators were reported by the mother at 5 months. Parental practices, marital satisfaction, and 7 family functioning were reported by each parent at 2,5 and/or 3,5 years. Three-level mixed-effects linear models were used to test the associations for objectives 1 and 2. Structural equation models were used to test the mediations for objective 3. Results: 1) Postnatal depression in each parent was associated with a higher level of mental health symptoms in the child, with this association being stronger in low SES families than in high SES families; 2) In low SES families, the results supported the synergistic model, as paternal postnatal depression exacerbated the strength of the associations between maternal postnatal depression and internalizing/externalizing symptoms. In high SES families, the results supported the maternal unique model, as maternal depression was associated with an increase in internalizing/externalizing symptoms, while paternal depression was not; 3) Maternal postnatal depression was associated with child mental health primarily through coercive maternal parenting practices and family functioning, and to a lesser extent, through an overflow effect on paternal marital satisfaction. Paternal postnatal depression was associated with child mental health primarily through family functioning, then through paternal marital satisfaction, and to a lesser extent, through paternal parenting practices. Conclusions: Maternal and paternal postnatal depression, as well as low family SES, are risk factors for internalizing and externalizing problems during childhood and adolescence. The accumulation of these factors is associated with a higher risk of mental health problems than the sum of the risks associated with each of them separately. Maternal parenting practices, paternal marital satisfaction, and family functioning are the main mechanisms involved in the associations between postnatal parental depression and child mental health, with different importance depending on the gender of the depressed parent. These findings suggest that public health programs and mental health services should adopt a proportionate universal approach to prevent postnatal parental depression and mental health problems in children exposed to it. Parenting practices, marital satisfaction, and family functioning are avenues to consider for research and intervention aimed at preventing the intergenerational transmission of mental health problems.