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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