Abstract
Background: With the relaxation of birth control policy in China in recent years, second-time mothers’ mental health has raised concerns. However, the impact of firstborn children’s behaviour problems on second-time mothers’ prenatal depression in families transitioning to siblinghood has received little attention from family psychologists. Aims: This research aims to investigate whether firstborn children’s behaviour problems affect second-time mothers’ prenatal depression and the mediation role of daily parenting hassles, i.e., minor stressors associated with parenting, on this relationship. Methods: Data about second-time mothers’ prenatal depression, parenting daily hassles, and firstborn children’s behaviour problems were collected from 105 families transitioning to two children families using mother-reported questionnaires. Regressions were used to analyze the data. Results: About half of the mothers in the sample have depressive symptoms. Firstborns’ behaviour problems did not have a direct effect on the mother’s prenatal depression, but the problems did have an indirect effect via parenting daily hassles. The mothers’ age was significantly associated with prenatal depression. Conclusions: The mediation role of parenting daily hassles in the association with firstborn’s behaviour problems and mother’s prenatal depression suggests the need for support that reduce the levels of daily parenting hassles from firstborn children.
Highlights
Maternal prenatal depression is a major depressive disorder during pregnancy with symptoms such as sadness or low mood, appetite change, suicidal ideation, feelings of worthlessness, loss of interests, and so on [1]
If we examine the number of samples with moderate or above depressive symptoms, the proportion is 12.4%, which is in line with the literature showing the rate of prenatal depression ranging from 1.7 to 20.8 depending on measures and criteria [43]
Our study found that children’s behaviour problems can increase parenting daily hassles, which is consistent with the literature [30]
Summary
Maternal prenatal depression is a major depressive disorder during pregnancy with symptoms such as sadness or low mood, appetite change, suicidal ideation, feelings of worthlessness, loss of interests, and so on [1]. In China, the central government relaxed the birth control policy from “one-child policy” to “two-child policy” in 2016 and to “three-child policy” in 2021 This resulted in more and more families having two children in recent years, and firstborn children and mothers are facing great challenges due to the changes caused by the second child. The impact of firstborn children’s behaviour problems on second-time mothers’ prenatal depression in families transitioning to siblinghood has received little attention from family psychologists. Aims: This research aims to investigate whether firstborn children’s behaviour problems affect second-time mothers’ prenatal depression and the mediation role of daily parenting hassles, i.e., minor stressors associated with parenting, on this relationship. Methods: Data about second-time mothers’ prenatal depression, parenting daily hassles, and firstborn children’s behaviour problems were collected from 105 families transitioning to two children families using mother-reported questionnaires.
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