The Longitudinal effect of parental depressive symptoms on language development, problem behavior, and school adjustment in the first grade child

Abstract

This study examined the longitudinal relationship between paternal depressive symptoms and maternal depressive symptoms simultaneously. This study also identified the interplay of paternal and maternal depressive symptoms for predicting elementary children's language development, their problem behaviors and their school adjustment. Using the data from the Panel Study on Korean Children for the 4th-8th years (2011~2015 year), this study used the Latent Growth Curve Model, which is helpful for examining longitudinal relationship differences among variables. The sample subjects were 1,754 parents and children. The results are as follows. The initial level of paternal depressive symptoms had a positive impact on the rate of change in maternal depressive symptoms. The initial level of maternal depressive symptoms had a negative impact on the rate of change in maternal depressive symptoms. Mothers' depressive symptoms showed not only the mothers' own depression problem. but also the self-effect and counterpart effect of depression on the fathers' depression problem. The rate of change in maternal depressive symptom mediated the relation between the initial level of parental depressive symptoms and children's receptive language, internalizing/externalizing problems, and school adjustment. Therefore, depression prevention and intervention programs for both fathers and mothers are needed for the healthy development and school adaptation of school-age children.