Physiological Mediators of Parenting Behaviors in Mothers with Low to Moderate Depression Symptoms Open Access
Rouse, Matthew Harper (2013)
Published
Abstract
There is substantial empirical evidence for the association between depression in mothers and poorer parenting behaviors, with small to moderate effect sizes for associations (Lovejoy, Graczyk, O'Hare, & Neuman, 2000). However, little is known about factors that explain the relationship, with no published studies exploring maternal physiological processes as potential mechanisms. Using the hypothesized Social Engagement System (Porges & Carter, 2011) as a framework, two physiological systems, oxytocin (OT) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), were tested, based on their known associations with both depression and parenting behaviors, as potential mediators of the association between depression symptoms and parenting behaviors. We studied a community sample of 70 mothers with low to moderate levels of depressive symptoms (assessed by self report) and their 6 through 12 month old infants. In the laboratory, resting baseline RSA and salivary OT were collected from mothers before they engaged their infants in 10 minutes of play, on which indices of parenting behaviors were based. Following the play, mothers were mildly stressed by restraining infants' arms for a maximum of 2 minutes, after which they soothed their infants. RSA was collected throughout, and a salivary OT sample was collected post-stressor. Mediation hypotheses were not supported. Depression symptoms were significantly associated with only one of the parenting indices (withdrawal; r = .35). Certain indices of dynamic physiological functioning (RSA suppression during stressor, OT response following interaction) emerged as potentially important for their associations with parenting behaviors and/or depression.
Table of Contents
Introduction...1
Method...20
Results...35
Discussion...38
References...54
Figure 1: Mediational Model...71
Table 1: Descriptive Statistics for Mother and Infant
Measures...72
Table 2: Intercorrelations among depression, physiological
mediator, parenting, and moderator variables...73
Table 3: Hypothesis 1: Estimates of the mediated effect of baseline
respiratory sinus arrhythmia in the association between depression
symptoms and parenting behaviors...74
Table 4: Hypothesis 2: Estimates of the mediated effect of
respiratory sinus arrhythmia suppression in response to a stressor
in the association between depression symptoms and parenting
behaviors...75
Table 5: Hypothesis 3: Estimates of the mediated effect of baseline
oxytocin in the association between depression symptoms and
parenting behaviors...76
Table 6: Hypothesis 4: Estimates of the mediated effect of
respiratory sinus arrhythmia recovery from a stressor in the
association between depression symptoms and parenting
behaviors...77
Table 7: Hypothesis 5: Estimates of the mediated effect of oxytocin
change in response to a stressor in the association between
depression symptoms and parenting behaviors...78
Table 8: Hypothesis 6a: Estimates of moderation by number of CTQ
maltreatment categories on the mediated effect of baseline
respiratory sinus arrhythmia in the association between depression
symptoms and parenting behaviors...79
Table 9: Hypothesis 6b: Estimates of moderation by number of CTQ
maltreatment categories on the mediated effect of respiratory sinus
arrhythmia suppression in response to a stressor in the association
between depression symptoms and parenting behaviors...80
Table 10: Hypothesis 6c: Estimates of moderation by number of CTQ
maltreatment categories on the mediated effect of baseline oxytocin
in the association between depression symptoms and parenting
behaviors...81
Table 11: Hypothesis 6d: Estimates of moderation by number of CTQ
maltreatment categories on the mediated effect of respiratory sinus
arrhythmia recovery from a stressor in the association between
depression symptoms and parenting behaviors...82
Table 12: Hypothesis 6e: Estimates of moderation by number of CTQ
maltreatment categories on the mediated effect of oxytocin change
in response to a stressor in the association between depression
symptoms and parenting behaviors...83
Table 13: Hypothesis 7a: Estimates of moderation by IBQ-R NA on the
mediated effect of baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia in the
association between depression symptoms and parenting
behaviors...84
Table 14: Hypothesis 7b: Estimates of moderation by IBQ-R NA on the
mediated effect of respiratory sinus arrhythmia suppression in
response to a stressor in the association between depression
symptoms and parenting behaviors...85
Table 15: Hypothesis 7c: Estimates of moderation by IBQ-R NA on the
mediated effect of baseline oxytocin in the association between
depression symptoms and parenting behaviors...86
Table 16: Hypothesis 7d: Estimates of moderation by IBQ-R NA on the
mediated effect of respiratory sinus arrhythmia recovery from a
stressor in the association between depression symptoms and
parenting behaviors...87
Table 17: Hypothesis 7e: Estimates of moderation by IBQ-R NA on the
mediated effect of oxytocin change in response to a stressor in the
association between depression symptoms and parenting
behaviors...88
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