Sex differences in the association between maternal depression and children’s cognitive development: A meta-analytic review

• In Event: Poster Session 14
  In Poster Session: PS 14 Topic - Sex, Gender

Abstract

Children’s early childhood environments play a significant role in their development. Exposure to maternal depression during this sensitive period is a robust risk factor for negative outcomes, including cognitive outcomes, in the offspring (Ahun & Côté, 2019; Liu et al., 2017; Rogers et al., 2020; Sanger et al., 2015). Early cognitive skills are the building blocks of social capital in modern societies. These skills are necessary for the development of practical life skills which enable people to increase control over and improve their health (Heckman, 2006). Despite the significant body of research reporting a small but consistent association between clinical and sub-clinical maternal depression and children’s cognitive development, little is known about the potential moderating role of sex in this association (Sanger et al., 2015). The aim of this systematic review is to summarize evidence of the moderating role of sex in the association between maternal depression and children’s cognitive development. We screened through 167 articles identified through a systematic literature search of the following databases: PubMed Medline, EMBASE, ERIC, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Statistical analyses were conducted in R. A total of 46 articles were retained for the meta-analysis. Maternal depression had a negative effect on children’s cognitive outcomes (Hedges’ g = -0.21, 95% CI [-0.27 to -0.15]). The percentage of males in the sample did not moderate this effect. However, a meta-analysis in a sub-sample of n=10 studies which reported sex-specific data found that maternal depression was significantly associated with cognitive development in boys (-0.31 [-0.64 to -0.06) but not in girls (-0.03 [-0.23 to 0.18]). Tests of heterogeneity in this sub-sample (n=10; I2 = 67%) found that the effect of maternal depression on boys’ cognitive development was stronger for clinical (-0.74 [-1.18 to -0.31]) versus sub-clinical (-0.13 [-0.45 to 0.20]) depression. This moderation was not significant in the overall sample of retained studies (n=46). There was evidence of publication bias (Egger’s regression test for funnel plot asymmetry p-value = 0.001) in the overall sample. These findings suggest that boys are more vulnerable to the negative effects of maternal depression on children’s cognitive development than girls. Future research should further explore sex-specific estimates of this association. This can clarify the underlying biological and social mechanisms of these sex differences and help determine whether different intervention approaches are needed for boys and girls exposed to maternal depression.

Authors

• Marilyn N Ahun, Harvard University
  Presenting Author

• Geneviève Gariépy, Université de Montréal
  Non-Presenting Author

• Claire Gapare, McGill University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sylvana M Côté, Université de Montréal (UdeM)
  Non-Presenting Author