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Abstract:
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Withdrawal in early childhood is a risk factor for the development of many adjustment problems . Mothers’ depressive symptoms may affect the development of withdrawal through complex mechanisms . This study examined the relation of mothers’ depressive symptoms to children’s withdrawal from 24 to 54 months and developmental mechanisms of this relation . Based on data from the NICHD study of Early Child Care , results demonstrate that mothers’ cumulative depressive symptoms from 6 to 24 months predicted children’s withdrawal at 24 months across dyads . From 24 to 54 months , within -dyad increases in mothers’ depressive symptoms predicted within -dyad increases in children’s withdrawal . Finally , low competent parenting was partially responsible for the impact of mothers’ early depressive symptoms on children’s withdrawal . In addition , boys’ withdrawal was more strongly associated with mothers’ depressive symptoms than girls’ . |