Longitudinal associations between parental depressive symptoms and child behavior: A random intercept cross-lagged panel model.

In the present study, longitudinal associations between parental depressive symptoms and child behavior (externalizing and internalizing problems and adaptive skills) were examined using a random intercept cross-lagged panel model. The participants were 200 Finnish children (106 boys, 94 girls) and their parents. Both fathers and mothers reported their depressive symptoms and rated child behavior of their children at the ages of 4, 6, and 9. In the combined models including effects from both parents, the results showed that at the between-person level, maternal depressive symptoms were significantly correlated with child behavior, while paternal depressive symptoms were significantly correlated with maternal depressive symptoms yet not with child behavior. Significant within-person-level predictive panels from child internalizing behavior at child ages of 4 and 6 to maternal depressive symptoms at child ages of 6 and 9, and from paternal depressive symptoms at child age of 6 to child externalizing behavior and adaptive skills at child age of 9 emerged in the model identifying the unique effects of maternal and paternal depressive symptoms. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).