The Association Between Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Toddlers’ Developmental and Behavioral Problems: A Population-Based Study

Abstract

This study aims to compare the developmental-behavioral profiles of 2-year-olds of mothers who experienced postpartum and/or current depression with profiles of toddlers of mothers without depression at either time using population-based Rhode Island data. Weighted data from Rhode Island Department of Health’s Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System and Rhode Island’s follow-up Toddlers Wellness Overview Survey distributed to mothers giving birth between 2006 and 2008 were analyzed. Compared with non-depressed mothers, those with any depression following childbirth reported more concerns with their toddlers’ receptive language, social-emotional development, and their sleep and feeding behaviors. When adjusted for demographics, persistent depression remained associated with social-emotional (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 7.53, 2.78-20.34) and feeding concerns (aOR = 3.13, 1.36-7.22), and current depression was associated with social-emotional concerns (aOR = 2.52, 1.26-5.01). We conclude that pediatric providers should explore maternal mental health as a mediating and potentially modifiable factor beyond the postpartum period when toddlers present with developmental-behavioral challenges.