摘要：Objectives: This study aimed to identify the trajectories of depressive symptoms of 965 first-time mothers during six years postpartum, and to explore the differences in the behavioral problems of their first child at age 6 years according to the depressive symptom trajectories. Methods: Maternal depressive symptom trajectories were identified using latent growth class modeling. Differences in the behavioral problems of children according to maternal depressive symptom trajectory were analyzed with analysis of covariance. Results: There were five trajectories of depressive symptoms (no symptoms, 25.9%; low symptoms, 43.2%; decreasing symptoms, 6.6%; moderate symptoms, 18.6%; severe symptoms, 5.9%) among Korean first-time mothers. The problematic behaviors of children with mothers in the moderate and severe symptoms groups were significantly higher than those of children with mothers in the no symptoms group. Conclusions: Regarding maternal depression, identifying at-risk mothers after first delivery and supporting them are critical. For children exposed to severe and chronic maternal depressive symptoms during early childhood, special attention on their socio-emotional development is needed.
关键词：first delivery;trajectory of depressive symptoms;behavioral problem;first child
