Reciprocal relationships between paternal psychological distress and child internalising and externalising difficulties from 3 to 14  years: a cross-lagged analysis

AbstractResearch shows that paternal psychological distress is associated with child emotional and behavioural difficulties. However, little is known about the direction of this association including whether it is bidirectional. The aim of this study was to explore the reciprocal relationships between paternal psychological distress and child emotional and behavioural problems longitudinally (at ages 3, 5, 7, 11 and 14  years) in a sample of 13,105 children (49% girls) who participated in the UK’s Millennium Cohort Study (MCS), a large-scale, nationally representative, longitudinal survey. Four domains of child problems (emotional symptoms, peer relations, conduct problems and hyperactivity/inattention) were me asured with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and paternal psychological distress was measured with the Kessler K-6 scale. Data were analysed using cross-lagged path models. At all ages, paternal psychological distress predicted both subsequent child emotional symptoms as well as peer pro blems. Paternal psychological distress at child’s age 3 was related to more hyperactivity at age 5 and, at age 5, paternal psychological distress was associated with more conduct problems at age 7. At age 11, paternal distress was also related to age 14 conduct problems and hyperactivity. Child ef fects were fewer and were found mainly for behavioural problems. Notably, we found bidirectional links between paternal psychological distress and child peer difficulties, fr...
Source: European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research