Assessing longitudinal pathways between maternal depressive symptoms, parenting self-esteem and infant temperament

Abstract

Previous studies of relations between parenting self-concepts, parental adjustment and child temperament have been ambiguous regarding the direction of influence; and have rarely followed families from pregnancy through the first year of life. The current study examines change and stability in maternal depressive symptoms, parenting competences and child temperament through the perinatal period until nine months postpartum.

Keywords

• perinatal depression
• maternal self-esteem
• parenting
• infant
• temperament