Poster #139 - Longitudinal Relations Between Paternal Warmth, Maternal Depression, and Young Children’s Aggressive Behaviors

• In Event: 2-163 - Poster Session 08
  In Poster Session: PS 08 Section - Parenting & Parent-Child Relationships

Integrative Statement

Previous studies have shown that maternal depression is one of the strongest predictors of young children’s behavior problems (Mesman & Koot, 2001). Yet parental warmth is associated with fewer behavior problems (Chen, Liu, & Mowei, 2000). Most studies on the relationships between these variables have focused on only maternal warmth (Kim & Jung, 2015) and have been limited to either one or two time points (Waller et al., 2014). Consequently, we have very little knowledge of the influence of paternal warmth on children’s behavior problems over time (Mezulis, Hyde, & Clark, 2004), especially in the context of maternal depression. To address this gap, the present study examines the relationships between paternal warmth, maternal depression, and children’s aggressive behaviors across three time points. We analyzed data from a longitudinal research project, The Panel Study on Korean Children, which were collected in Korea in 2011 (T1), 2012 (T2), and 2013 (T3). A total of 1,824 families with a three-year old child (in 2011) participated over the course of three years (M child age = 4 years, 5 months, SD = 1 month at T2). To examine the relationships between paternal warmth, maternal depression, and children’s aggressive behaviors, we used a three-wave cross-lagged path analysis within structural equation modeling in Mplus. First, results showed that paternal warmth, maternal depression, and children’s aggressive behaviors were associated with one another at each time point; among all three variables, greater values at earlier waves predicted greater values at later waves (see Figure). In addition, there were direct effects from paternal warmth at T1 to children’s aggressive behaviors at T2, from paternal warmth at T2 to children’s aggressive behaviors at T3, from maternal depression at T1 to children’s aggressive behaviors at T2, from maternal depression at T2 to children’s aggressive behaviors at T3, from maternal depression at T1 to paternal warmth at T2, and from children’s aggressive behaviors at T2 to maternal depression at T3. Second, there were bidirectional effects between mothers and children (see Figure). Greater maternal depression at T1 predicted greater depression at T3 via more children’s aggressive behaviors at T2 (b = -.009, p = .034). Third, there were indirect longitudinal effects, which were marginally significant. Greater paternal warmth at T1 predicted lower maternal depression at T3 via fewer children’s aggressive behaviors at T2 (b = -.004, p = .065), and higher maternal depression at T1 predicted more children’s aggressive behaviors at T3 via lower paternal warmth at T2 (b = -.003, p = .061). This study highlights important predictions of later constructs through earlier constructs using a longitudinal model, and demonstrates mutual influence in the relationships between parent and child, in contrast to the unidirectional effects that only go from parent to child. For families, these results highlight the importance of positive fathering for maternal psychological well-being and children’s development throughout the lifespan.

Authors

• Yookyung Lee, The University of Texas at Austin
  Presenting Author

• Kyongjoo Hong, The University of Texas at Austin
  Non-Presenting Author

• Marie-Anne Suizzo, The University of Texas at Austin
  Non-Presenting Author