Family transmission of depressive symptoms: Replication across Caucasian and African American mother-child dyads

This study examined the longitudinal association between maternal and child depressive Symptoms, as well as the role of mother-child relationship quality as a mediator of this association. The proposed model was examined across two samples that varied by ethnicity, economic status, and age, among other variables. The findings indicated that maternal depressive symptoms predicted child depressive symptoms and progression of child depressive symptoms over a 2-year period. However, little support was found for mother-child relationship quality mediating the longitudinal association between maternal and child depressive symptoms in either Sample. The replication of findings across the two samples provides strong support for the generalizability of the family transmission of depressive symptoms from mother to child. Clinical implications of findings for the development of prevention and intervention efforts aimed at mildly to moderately distressed Caucasian and African American families are discussed.