Demographic, Familial Characteristics and Maternal Mental Health Profiles
Associations between mother’s whether a mother had lower income, lower education, was married or in a common law partnership or spoke English as her first language and profile membership was tested using a series of chi-squared tests (Table 4). Across both time points, only ethnicity had a significant relationship with maternal mental health profiles, with a higher percentage of white mothers identified in the Stressed, Approaching Clinical Concern compared to mothers in the Clinically Depressed and Highly Stressed profile. The relationship between maternal parenting prior to COVID-19 (i.e., hostile reactions, overprotection, self-efficacy, and perceived impact) and mental health profiles (prior to and during COVID-19) was examined. Overprotection was the only parenting practice that was associated with maternal mental health profile membership prior to and during COVID-19. Specifically, prior to COVID-19 mothers who were Clinically Depressed and Highly Stressed had, rated themselves higher on overprotection than mothers identified as below clinical concern. Similarly, mothers identified in the profile of Highest Clinical Concern rated themselves significantly higher on their levels of overprotection, compared to mothers identified in the Below Clinical Concern and the Clinically Depressed and Highly Stressed.
The relationship between children’s temperament and maternal mental health profiles were examined (Table 4). Prior to the pandemic, higher levels of both children’s anger and fear were significantly related to clinical maternal membership in profiles with poorer mental health. Mothers who belonged to the profiles Stressed, Approaching Clinical Concern and Clinically Depressed and Highly Stressed had children who were significantly more fearful than mothers in the Below Clinical Concern Mothers profile. During COVID-19 mothers in the Highest Clinical Concern profiles reported that their children were significantly angrier than mothers in the Below Clinical Concern. There were no significant differences between the maternal mental health profiles membership and mother’s reporting of their children’s fearfulness.
The relationship between child’s mental health prior to the pandemic and maternal mental health profiles prior to and during COVID-19 was examined (Table 4). Prior to COVID-19 there was a significant relationship between maternal mental health profile membership and children’s emotional problems. Specifically, mothers who were identified in the Stressed, Approaching Clinical Concern reported that their children had higher emotional problems than mothers who were identified in the Below Clinical Concern profile. During COVID-19 mothers in the Highest Clinical Concern profile reported that their children had higher emotional problems than mothers across the other mental health profiles. Similarly, mothers in the Highest Clinical Concern profile reported that their children had significantly higher conduct and peer problems than mothers in the Below Clinical Concern profile. Mothers identified in the Highest Clinical Concern profile and the Stressed, Approaching Clinical Concern reported their children to be more hyperactive than mothers in the other profiles. Finally, there was no relationship identified between maternal mental health profile and mother’s reports of their children’s prosocial behaviours.