Maternal depression trajectories and children's behavior at age five years

International audienceObjectiveTo assess the relationship between trajectories of maternal depression from pregnancy to the child’s age 5 and children’s emotional and behavioral difficulties at age 5.Study design1183 mother-child pairs from the EDEN mother-child birth cohort study based in France were followed from 24-28 weeks of pregnancy to the child’s fifth birthday. Children’s behavior at age 5 was assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Maternal depression was repeatedly assessed with the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression questionnaire (pregnancy, 3 and 5 years) and the Edinbourgh Postnatal Depression Scale (4, 8, and 12 months postpartum). Homogeneous latent trajectory groups of maternal depression were identified within the study population and correlated with SDQ scores using multivariate linear regression analyzes.ResultsFive trajectories of maternal symptoms of depression were identified: no symptoms (62.0%); persistent intermediate-level depressive symptoms (25.3%); persistent high depressive symptoms (4.6%); high symptoms in pregnancy only (3.6%); high symptoms in the child’s preschool period only (4.6%). Children whose mothers had persistent depressive symptoms – either intermediate or high - had the highest levels of emotional and behavioral difficulties at age 5. Additionally, compared to children whose mothers were never depressed, those whose mothers had high symptoms in the preschool period also had elevated levels of emotional symptoms, conduct problems, and peer problems.Conclusions Maternal depression symptoms are related to children’s emotional and behavioral problems, particularly if they are persistent (29.9%) or occur during early childhood (4.6%)