Korean-immigrant mothers’ depression and children’s adjustment difficulties: The mediating and moderating role of family relationships

• In Event: Poster Session 04
  In Poster Session: PS 04 Topic - Family Context & Processes

Abstract

Depression is one of the most common psychological problems among Korean-immigrants in the United States (Cho et al., 2014). Maternal depression has been consistently found to be detrimental for children’s development (Goodman, 2007). Mothers with depression are less likely to be responsive and warm towards their children (Lovejoy et al., 2016), which lends itself to an increased risk for child socioemotional and behavioral problems (Goodman et al., 2011). An impaired parent-child relationship stemming from less maternal warmth and responsiveness is proposed to mediate the association between maternal depression and children’s social emotional difficulties (Cummings & Davies, 1994). Due to the cultural emphasis on the interconnected nature of the Korean family unity (Kwok et al., 2013), poor marital relationships can further exacerbate the negative impact of decreased warmth between mothers and children, whereas positive marital relationships can protect children by providing compensatory support and creating a secure familial environment (Cox & Paley, 1997). However, little is known about the dynamic interaction between marital and parent-child relationships in the association between maternal depressive symptoms and child maladjustment in Korean-immigrant families. Thus, we aimed to examine the association between Korean-immigrant mothers’ depressive symptoms and their preschool-aged children’s socioemotional and behavioral difficulties, and the mediating role of mother-child relationship warmth in this association. Moreover, the moderating role of marital relationship quality in the association between maternal warmth and child outcomes was explored.
First-generation married Korean-immigrant mothers (N=175; Mage=36.00; SD=3.50) with preschool-aged children (Mage=4.30, SD=0.98; Girls=57%) reported on their: (1) depressive symptoms (BDI; Beck et al., 1996), (2) mother-child relationship warmth (PCRQ; Furman & Giberson, 1995), and (3) overall marital relationship quality (Busby et al., 1995). Teachers reported on children’s socioemotional and behavioral difficulties in the classroom (SDQ-T; Goodman, 1997).
Controlling for child gender, age, maternal age, education, and the time living in the United States, moderated-mediation analyses revealed a significant negative association between maternal depressive symptoms and mother-child warmth, b = -0.02, SE = .01, 95% CI [-0.03, -0.01]. Lower levels of mother-child warmth were associated with children’s adjustment difficulties, but only at low levels of marital relationship quality, b = 0.06, SE = .03, 95% CI [0.01, 0.12] (Figure 1).
Depressed mothers may have fewer psychological resources to develop a warm and responsive relationship with their children (Cummings & Davies, 1994). Diminished warm interactions with their mothers may likely lead to feelings of insecurity and socioemotional and behavioral adjustment difficulties in children (Goodman, 2007). However, our findings suggest that a stable, affectionate, and cohesive marital relationship may act as a protective factor perhaps through creating a secure emotional environment within the family and/or the availability of greater support, which can lessen the impact of maternal psychological distress and the negative effect of lower levels of mother-child relationship warmth on children's negative outcomes (Cox & Paley, 1997). These findings can inform the design of programs that can promote the psychological well-being of Korean immigrant mothers and their children’s adjustment by strengthening relationships within the family and increasing warm and nurturing relationships with both parents.

Authors

• Hyun Su Cho, University of Maryland - Baltimore County
  Presenting Author

• Ozair Qazi, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
  Non-Presenting Author

• Bumo Zhang, University of Maryland - Baltimore County
  Non-Presenting Author

• Craig H Hart, Brigham Young University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Charissa S. L. Cheah, University of Maryland - Baltimore County
  Non-Presenting Author