A Refined Model of Stress-Diathesis Relationships in Mothers With Significant Depressive Symptom Severity.
Yui Matsuda, Todd A Schwartz, YunKyung Chang and 1 others
PMID 31578899WHAT IT FOUND
Mothers with more children who had developmental delays or disabilities reported higher depressive symptoms, but the association weakened once mothers' self-efficacy and health status were considered.
Key findings
01The analysis included 364 mothers, and the mean CES-D score was 23 on a possible 0 to 60 scale.
02In the family stress model, mean CES-D scores were 22.67 for households with no children with developmental delay or disability, 23.38 for one child, and 28.17 for two or more children, with a significant linear trend.
03After maternal diathesis factors were added, the trend across number of children with developmental delay or disability was attenuated and no longer significant, while higher family conflict, lower self-efficacy, and poorer health status were significant correlates.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study is cross-sectional, so it cannot show that children with developmental delay or disability cause higher maternal depressive symptoms. The data were secondary and the measures were not designed for these aims, so questions about social support and other mental disorders were limited. The sample was low-income mothers who already screened positive for depressive symptoms, so findings may not apply to all mothers. The association with number of children with developmental delay or disability weakened after maternal self-efficacy and health status were included, so it may not be an independent effect.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The article lists NIH extramural research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that having more children with developmental delay or disability causes higher maternal depressive symptoms. The study is cross-sectional, and the association weakened after maternal self-efficacy and health status were included.