Child related strain and maternal mental health: a longitudinal study.
OBJECTIVE
To explore how normal age-related behaviour patterns and medical status affect maternal mental health in children aged 1.5-4 years.


METHODS
Data were collected via questionnaires from a population-based sample. Outcome variable was the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL-25). Multiple regression analyses were used to assess the extent to which changes in the predictors (sociodemographic variables, chronic strains, negative life events, maternal somatic health and social support) explained changes in maternal distress.


RESULTS
Changes in strain related to children and child care-taking predicted changes in maternal mental distress stronger than the other explanatory variables. Only effects of changes in child care-taking were significant for both time periods.


CONCLUSIONS
Changes in maternal symptoms of anxiety and depression appear to be influenced by changes associated with children's behaviour, their medical status and child care-taking arrangements.
Naerde
A
A
Section of Epidemiology, Department of Population Health Sciences, The National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway. ane.nerde@folkehelsa.no
Tambs
K
K
Mathiesen
K S
KS
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002668:Child Rearing / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009664:Norway; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*