Prenatal Maternal Depressive Symptoms, Child Problem Behavior, and Amygdala Volume: The Role of Harsh Parenting

Background: The association between prenatal maternal depression and adverse child outcomes is well established, but the role of potential moderating factors remains poorly understood. Objectives: This study investigates the role of harsh parenting in the association between prenatal maternal depressive symptoms and internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms, and amygdala volume in preadolescents. Methods: A total of 1,436 child-mother pairs from the Generation R study participated. Prenatal depressive symptoms, child internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and harsh parenting were assessed using questionnaires completed by the mothers. To measure amygdala volume, children visited the research center, where T1-weighted brain scans were obtained using a Magnetic Resonance Imaging scanner. Direct associations between prenatal depressive symptoms and internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms, and amygdala volume were initially examined using linear regression analyses. The moderating role of harsh parenting was investigated by including an interaction term with prenatal depressive symptoms. Results: Higher prenatal maternal depressive symptoms were significantly associated with increased internalizing symptoms (badj = 0.117, 95% CI [0.043, 0.191], pFDR = .002) and increased externalizing symptoms in preadolescents (badj = 0.104, 95% CI [0.030, 0.178], pFDR = .006), with internalizing symptoms showing the strongest association. We found no evidence for a moderating role of harsh parenting in these associations. However, harsh parenting was independently associated with externalizing symptoms (badj = 0.145, 95% CI [0.092, 0.198], pFDR < .001). Conclusion: This study found that higher levels of prenatal depressive symptoms in mothers were associated with higher internalizing and externalizing symptoms in preadolescents, regardless of harsh parenting levels.