What are the characteristic differences between depressed and non-depressed women in their interactions with and around their children? Are maternal child-related behavioral deficits characteristic of women with a history of depression, or are difficulties present only when mothers are experiencing an acute episode of depression? More broadly, are there certain patterns of aberrant child-related behaviors that wax and wane with depressive episodes, and others that reflect more or less enduring behavioral characteristics of depressed mothers? These questions are important to the study of depressed women as mothers and their influence on children. The NIMH Childrearing Project is in a unique position to explore this issue, by comparing maternal characteristics of two groups of mothers with a history of affective disorder: those who are within and those who are between episodes of depression at the time of their participation in our laboratory apartment at follow-up. These groups of mothers will be compared on symptom-related behaviors and interactive behaviors, including patterns of 1) eliciting compliance and cooperation from their children, 2) monitoring of and responsiveness to their children's need states, 3) displays of affect such as anger and affection, 4) patterns of content and topography in verbal interactions, and 5) methods of resolving conflict between offspring siblings. Parallel analyses will be conducted using self-reported mood as a basis for regrouping mothers; this will allow us to address more general state-trait questions beyond those that are specific to depressive episodes, per se.
