SCIENTIFIC PAPERS
Correlates of Depression in Mothers of Young Children

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The relationship between maternal depression and two sets of risk factors—social environmental characteristics and child-rearing factors—were examined in mothers of young children from two socioeconomic groups. Overall rates of depression were lower than previously reported by British investigators. Mothers with episodes of depression occurring during the child-rearing years were less positive in both their environmental perceptions and their evaluations of themselves as mothers compared to those without depression or with depressive episodes confined to pre-child-rearing years. Subclinical symptomatology was more strongly correlated with marital conflict than with friendship support or child-rearing factors.

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