Maternal processes contributing to child internalizing and externalizing symptoms: Comparing military, two-parent, and single-parent families

Aikins, J. W., & Aikins, D. (2024). Maternal processes contributing to child internalizing and externalizing symptoms: Comparing military, two-parent, and single-parent families. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 33(5), 1590-1601. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-024-02798-y

This study compared depressive symptoms and parenting stress among mothers from 2-parent military families, 2-parent civilian families, and single-parent civilian families. In addition, the associations among mothers’ depressive symptoms, parenting stress, and children’s internalizing (e.g., withdrawn) and externalizing (e.g., impulsive) symptoms were compared across family types. Mothers whose partner was a deployed Service member (henceforth, homefront mothers; n = 563), mothers from single-parent civilian families (n = 204), and mothers from 2-parent civilian families (n = 193) self-reported their depressive symptoms, parenting stress, and their young child’s internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Overall, homefront mothers reported more depressive symptoms than civilian mothers. The strength of the associations among mothers’ depressive symptoms, parenting stress, and children’s symptoms differed across family types.

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