Citation

Martinez-Torteya C, Katsonga-Phiri T, Rosenblum KL, Hamilton L, Muzik M. Arch. Women Ment. Health 2018; 21(6): 777-784.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Depression Center, 4250 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2701, USA. muzik@med.umich.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s00737-018-0865-7

PMID

29860623

Abstract

This study examines the effect of a history of childhood maltreatment (CM) on parenting sense of competence, taking into account the influence of resilience and postpartum depressive symptoms as moderators of this relationship. Participants (N = 131) were a community sample of women recruited into a larger study of maternal childhood maltreatment. Women completed questionnaires over the phone at 4 months postpartum and parenting sense of competence (PSOC) was assessed during a home visit at 6 months postpartum. A three-way interaction emerged; women with low depression and high resilience factors maintained high levels of PSOC, even when they had a CM history. In contrast, among women with one postpartum risk factor (depression or low resilience) CM was associated with decreased PSOC.

RESULTS suggest that a mother's well-being postpartum moderates the effect of a childhood maltreatment history on her parenting sense of competence. Reducing postpartum depressive symptoms and enhancing resilience may be important components for interventions that address parenting confidence with maltreated women.

Language: en

Keywords

Childhood maltreatment; Depression; Parenting competence; Resilience