Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to examine the independent and joint effects of child gender and informant (mother-report
vs. child self-report) on children’s internalizing and externalizing symptoms in an at-risk sample of children of mothers
with a history of depression. Data were obtained from mothers with a history of major depressive disorder (N = 149) and their
9- to 15-year-old children (74 males, 75 females) to assess children’s internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Little evidence
was found that maternal depression amplified the typical gender differences in the prevalence of depressive symptoms and behavioral
problems. Partial support was found for the hypothesis that maternal depression may equalize the rates of symptoms in boys
and girls. There was also some evidence that maternal depression may reverse typical patterns of gender differences in depressive
symptoms; i.e., using normative T scores to account for expected rates of problems, boys reported more symptoms than girls. Mothers and children reported significantly
different levels of problems depending on child gender. Future research should investigate the processes of risk that may
lead to changes in the normative patterns of gender differences in the context of maternal depression.
vs. child self-report) on children’s internalizing and externalizing symptoms in an at-risk sample of children of mothers
with a history of depression. Data were obtained from mothers with a history of major depressive disorder (N = 149) and their
9- to 15-year-old children (74 males, 75 females) to assess children’s internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Little evidence
was found that maternal depression amplified the typical gender differences in the prevalence of depressive symptoms and behavioral
problems. Partial support was found for the hypothesis that maternal depression may equalize the rates of symptoms in boys
and girls. There was also some evidence that maternal depression may reverse typical patterns of gender differences in depressive
symptoms; i.e., using normative T scores to account for expected rates of problems, boys reported more symptoms than girls. Mothers and children reported significantly
different levels of problems depending on child gender. Future research should investigate the processes of risk that may
lead to changes in the normative patterns of gender differences in the context of maternal depression.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-10
- DOI 10.1007/s10826-011-9518-4
- Authors
- Kelly H. Watson, Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
- Jennifer Potts, Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
- Emily Hardcastle, Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
- Rex Forehand, Department of Psychology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05401, USA
- Bruce E. Compas, Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
- Journal Journal of Child and Family Studies
- Online ISSN 1573-2843
- Print ISSN 1062-1024