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.