Trajectory of Maternal Postpartum Depressive Symptoms Moderates the Bidirectional Associations between Maternal Intrusive Parenting and Infant Fear

Background: The association between maternal intrusive parenting and infant fear remains poorly understood, especially in the persistence of maternal postpartum depression. The current study investigated the moderating role of maternal postpartum depressive symptoms on the bidirectional link between maternal intrusive parenting and infant fear, among a sample of low-income, rural mothers. Methods: . A sample of 1,292 mothers reported their depressive symptoms at 2, 6, 15, and 24 months postpartum, whereas their intrusive parenting behavior and infant fear were observed at infants age 6, 15, and 24 months. Results: . Latent growth curve models revealed that maternal postpartum depressive symptoms increased over 2 years. From 6 months to 24 months, maternal intrusive parenting remained stable, and infant fear increased. Moderation analyses revealed that when mothers had low levels of initial depressive symptoms, a higher initial level of maternal intrusive parenting predicted a faster increase of infant fear. Additionally, when mothers' depressive symptoms showed a fast increase, a higher initial level of infant fear predicted a faster reduction in maternal intrusive parenting. Limitations: . The low-income, rural community sample limited the generalizability of the current findings. Conclusions: . The interplay between maternal intrusive parenting and infant fear supports a transactional model of child development in the context of maternal depression, with implications for future research and intervention efforts.