TY - JOUR PY - 2009// TI - The Relation of Maternal Sensitivity to Children’s Internalizing and Externalizing Problems Within the Context of Maternal Depressive Symptoms JO - Behavior modification A1 - Garai, E. P. A1 - Forehand, R. L. A1 - Colletti, C. J. M. A1 - Reeslund, K. A1 - Potts, J. A1 - Compas, Bruce E. SP - 559 EP - 582 VL - 33 IS - 5 N2 - Maternal depression has been linked to deficits in parenting that contribute to youth’s development of externalizing and/or internalizing problems. Maternal sensitivity has been implicated within the infant literature as a foundational aspect of parenting contributing to a child’s adjustment. This study examines the main and moderating effects of a construct labeled maternal sensitivity, within the context of depressive symptoms, on youth externalizing and internalizing problems in a sample of 65 mothers with a history of depression and their 84 children ages 9-15 years. Sensitivity was related to child externalizing problems. Although two-way interactions were not significant, exploratory moderation analyses indicated a significant three-way interaction among maternal depressive symptoms, maternal sensitivity, and youth gender for internalizing problems: among girls only, high depressive symptoms, low sensitivity, and the combination of these two variables were each associated with high levels of internalizing problems.

LA - SN - 0145-4455 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0145445509342581 ID - ref1 ER -