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Internalizing and Externalizing Problems Among At-Risk Preschoolers: The Mediating Role of Maternal Invalidation

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Abstract

Children of parents with emotion regulation (ER) difficulties may be at heightened risk for internalizing and externalizing problems, and maternal invalidation may explain this association. The current study used a cross-informant design to test the indirect effect of clinician-rated maternal ER difficulties on teacher-reported internalizing and externalizing problems through maternal invalidation. This risk pathway was tested in two groups of preschoolers: children of mothers with ER difficulties and children of mothers without ER difficulties (healthy controls; HC). Participants were 85 mothers (Mage =33.30 years; 36% racial/ethnic minoritized status) and their children (Mage =4234 months; 47% racial/ethnic minoritized status). Maternal ER difficulties had a significant indirect effect on child internalizing problems and externalizing problems, specifically aggressive behavior, through maternal invalidation. Specifically, mothers with ER difficulties reported more maternal invalidation, and their children exhibited more internalizing problems and aggressive behavior in a preschool/daycare setting, pointing to multiple avenues for prevention and intervention.

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Notes

  1. This included 64 teachers within a preschool or daycare facility, 2 in-home daycare providers, 4 alternative family members that cared for the child outside of the home, and 1 alternative family member that cared for the child inside the home.

  2. Participants with data were compared to those with missing data on all demographic covariates (i.e., child sex, child minoritized status, family receipt of public assistance). Participants with data did not differ from those without on any demographic variables, with the exception of child age. Children with missing data were more likely to be younger in age (t=-2.09, p = .04).

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Funding

Funding for this study was supported by grants awarded to Drs. Maureen Zalewski and Stephanie Stepp from the National Institute of Mental Health (R01 MH111758). Additional funding from the National Institute of Mental Health also supported this work (K01 MH119216, F32 MH126510).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States

    Olivia A. Frigoletto, Amy L. Byrd, Salome Vanwoerden & Stephanie D. Stepp

  2. Department of Psychology, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

    Vera Vine

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, United States

    Maureen Zalewski

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  1. Olivia A. Frigoletto
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  2. Amy L. Byrd
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  3. Vera Vine
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  4. Salome Vanwoerden
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  5. Maureen Zalewski
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  6. Stephanie D. Stepp
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Correspondence to Amy L. Byrd.

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Frigoletto, O.A., Byrd, A.L., Vine, V. et al. Internalizing and Externalizing Problems Among At-Risk Preschoolers: The Mediating Role of Maternal Invalidation. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 55, 841–850 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-022-01431-7

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