The Relationship of Maternal Characteristics and Perceptions of Children to Children's Emotional and Behavioral Problems

ABSTRACT

This study examined the relationships among maternal depressive symptoms, parenting stress, perceptions of children, and ratings of children's behavioral problems. Forty-six mothers (mean age = 31.07 years) provided ratings of these variables. Mothers were diverse in their cultural backgrounds and marital status but had a high level of educational achievement on average. Regression analyses supported the hypothesis that mothers' negative perceptions of their children mediate the relationship between maternal characteristics and maternal ratings of children's behavioral problems. Further, mothers' positive perceptions served as a moderator in the relationship between maternal depressive symptoms and maternal ratings of children's externalizing behavioral problems. The results of this study suggest that mothers' perceptions, rather than their characteristics, are related directly to ratings of children's behavioral problems, Given these findings, interventions should target mothers' perceptions of their children in addition to mothers' psychological symptoms and children's emotional and behavioral problems.

KEYWORDS:

• Mothers
• psychological symptoms
• parenting stress
• perceptions
• children's behavior problems