Maternal Coping Skills as a Moderator Between Depression and Stressful Life Events: Effects on Children's Behavioral Problems in an Intervention Program.

In this study, I report secondary analyses using data from the Infant Health and Development Program (IHDP). The IHDP included parent-targeted as well as child-targeted components as an integral part of early intervention programs. I examined three questions: (1) Do the IHDP early intervention se...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Child & Family Studies Vol. 12; no. 4; pp. 425 - 438
Main Author: Lee, Kyunghee
Format: Article
Published: Springer Science & Business Media B.V. December 2003
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Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
Description
Summary:In this study, I report secondary analyses using data from the Infant Health and Development Program (IHDP). The IHDP included parent-targeted as well as child-targeted components as an integral part of early intervention programs. I examined three questions: (1) Do the IHDP early intervention services enhance adaptive maternal coping skills? (2) Do maternal coping skills moderate the relationship between stressful life events and maternal depression? (3) Are maternal coping skills associated with children's behavioral scores? Mothers in the treatment group have more adaptive coping skills than follow-up only mothers, and these effects are moderated by maternal characteristics. Adaptive coping skills moderate the effects of negative life events on maternal depression. Adaptive maternal coping skills are significantly associated with fewer behavioral problems for children at age three. These effects are moderated by the intervention. Implications for early intervention programs are discussed. Reprinted by permission of the publisher.