Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35197139›Full record

ArticleBJPsych open2022

The impact of maternal depressive symptoms and traumatic events on early childhood mental health in conflict-affected Timor-Leste.

Susan J Rees, Mohammed Mohsin, Louis Klein, Zachary Steel, Wietse Tol, Mark Dadds, Valsamma Eapen, Zelia da Costa, Elisa Savio, Natalino Tam and 1 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BJPsych open, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Susan J ReesSchool of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2845-6547
Mohammed MohsinSchool of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Australia; and Mental Health Research Unit, Liverpool Hospital, New South Wales Health, Australia.
Louis KleinSchool of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Australia; and Mental Health Research Unit, Liverpool Hospital, New South Wales Health, Australia.
Zachary SteelSchool of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Australia.
Wietse TolDepartment of Mental Health, Centre for Global Health, Johns Hopkins University, USA.
Mark DaddsSchool of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Australia.
Valsamma EapenSchool of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Australia; and Academic Mental Health Unit, Liverpool Hospital, New South Wales Health, Australia.
Zelia da CostaSchool of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Australia.
Elisa SavioSchool of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Australia.
Natalino TamSchool of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Australia.
Derrick SiloveBrain Sciences, University of New South Wales, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLongitudinal studies are needed to examine the association between maternal depression, trauma and childhood mental health in conflict-affected settings.

aimsTo examine maternal depressive symptoms, trauma-related adversities and child mental health by using a longitudinal path model in conflict-affected Timor-Leste.

methodWomen were recruited in pregnancy. At wave 1, 1672 of 1740 eligible women were interviewed (96% response rate). The final sample comprised 1118 women with complete data at all three time points. Women were followed up when the index child was aged 18 months (wave 2) and 36 months (wave 3). Measures included the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, lifetime traumatic events and the Child Behaviour Checklist. A longitudinal path analysis examined associations cross-sectionally and in a cross-lagged manner across time.

resultsMaternal depressive symptom score was associated with child mental health (cross-sectional association at wave 2, β = 0.35, P < 0.001; cross-sectional association at wave 3, β = 0.33, P < 0.001). The maternal depressive symptom score at wave 1 was associated with child mental health at wave 2 (β = 0.12, P < 0.001), and the maternal depressive symptom score at wave 2 showed an indirect association with child mental health at wave 3 (indirect standardised coefficient 0.23, P < 0.001). There was a time-lagged relationship between child mental health at wave 2 and maternal depression at wave 3 (β = 0.08, P = 0.02).

conclusionsMaternal depressive symptoms are longitudinally associated with child mental health, and traumatic events play a role. Maternal depression symptoms are also affected by child mental health. Findings suggest the need for skilled assessment for depression, trauma-informed maternity care and parenting support in a post-conflict country such as Timor-Leste.

Indexed as

child mental healthConflict-affected populationsmaternal depressionpsychological trauma

Identifiers

PMID35197139
PMCPMC8935917

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