Reciprocity Among Maternal Distress, Child Behavior, and Parenting: Transactional Processes and Early Childhood Risk

Abstract

Transactional theories support that parent-child processes are best studied in conjunction with one another, addressing their reciprocal influence and change across time. This study tested a longitudinal, autoregressive model exploring bidirectional relations among maternal symptomatology, child internalizing/externalizing symptoms, and maternal sensitivity during the preschool period (child ages 3 to 5 years), comparing relations among families of typically developing children and children with developmental risk. This study included 250 families, 110 of which had a child with early developmental delay. Analyses utilized data from maternal report, father report, and observational methods. The results indicated significant stability in maternal symptomatology, child internalizing/externalizing symptoms, and maternal sensitivity over time. Support for bidirectional effects between maternal symptomatology and child internalizing symptoms was found specifically for mothers of children with developmental risk. Maternal symptomatology was found to mediate the influence of child internalizing and externalizing symptoms on maternal sensitivity. The findings underscore critical transactional processes within families of children with early developmental risk that connect increased maternal symptomatology to emerging child internalizing symptoms during the preschool period.

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Grant #HD34879 Awarded by NICHD to K. Crnic (PI), B. Baker, J. Blacher, and C. Edelbrock, co-investigators; NRSA Grant #5-F31-MH869732 Awarded by NIMH to L. Ciciolla (PI).

Notes

Note: Chi-square tests and t tests compare typically developing (TD) and developmentally delayed (DD) groups. MDI = Mental Developmental Index.

^a n = 140.

^b n = 110.

^c Child ethnicity: African American (DD = 3.6%; TD = 11.4%); Asian American (DD = 3.6%; TD = 0.9%); European (DD = 60.7%; TD = 60.0%); Hispanic American (DD = 26.4%; 8.6%); “Other” (DD = 9.7%; TD = 15.7%).

^d Family income measured on 1-to-7 scale; 1 = $0–$15,000, 4 = $35,001–$50,000, 7 = ≥$95,001.

**p < .01. ***p < .001.

Note: TD = typically developing group; DD = children with developmental delays.

*p < .05.

Note: Intercorrelations for the typically developing group are presented above the diagonal (n = 140), and intercorrelations for the group with developmental delays are below the diagonal (n = 98). yr = year.

*p < .05.

Note: Path coefficients for covariates and covariance coefficients are not shown. When parameter estimates were freely estimated for TD and DD groups, italicized numbers represent the TD group, and underlined numbers represent the DD group. B = raw path coefficients; CI = confidence interval.

*p < .05.

Note: Path coefficients for covariates and covariance coefficients are not shown. B = raw path coefficients; CI = confidence interval.

*p < .05.