Differences in parental factors between parents with and without depression or anxiety issues: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Depression and anxiety are highly prevalent mental health issues, impacting many parents. Research suggests that parents with depression and/or anxiety experience parenting difficulties, and their children have a higher risk of mental health issues. However, it is unclear whether and to what extent parents with and without depression and/or anxiety differ in specific parenting behaviours and attitudes. This review examines research evidence comparing parental factors between parents with and without depression and/or anxiety, to improve understanding of how depression and anxiety influence parenting. This has important implications for child development, targeted parenting programs, and mental health interventions. Comprehensive database and citation searching obtained 41,075 titles and abstracts for screening, with 2088 full-text articles retrieved and 52 papers included. Weighted z and meta-analyses were used to synthesise results. Fourteen parental factors were examined, revealing that parents with anxiety or depression demonstrate higher parenting stress compared to parents without these mental health issues. It was also found that parents with depression, anxiety or comorbid depression and anxiety use less effective discipline compared to non-clinical controls. Additionally, parents with depression may be more aversive and withdrawn, less warm and experience reduced parent-child relationship quality and parental self-efficacy compared to those without depression. Directions for future research are explored, focusing on the intergenerational transmission of mental health issues and improving interventions for parents experiencing depression, anxiety or both. Caveats such as the cross-sectional nature of studies and the potential influence of other factors including child mental health and socioeconomic status are highlighted.