Longitudinal associations between maternal depression, problematic media use, and parenting efficacy as a time-varying mediator.

2026/04/30 by Hailey G. Holmgren, Rebecca L. Densley, Sarah M. Coyne +8
Psychology · Medicine · #Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development #Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum #Digital Mental Health Interventions

paper · doi:10.1037/fam0001474

Abstract

= 5.83 months at Wave 1) followed across five annual waves. We analyzed data from Waves 1 to 5 of Project MEDIA, capturing both between- and within-person effects over time. Results showed that higher maternal depression correlated with lower parenting efficacy and higher PMU. Depression remained relatively stable across 5 years, whereas PMU and parenting efficacy fluctuated. Within-person analyses revealed that increases in maternal depression predicted decreases in parenting self-efficacy, but neither depression nor efficacy significantly predicted PMU. These findings suggest that while maternal depression undermines parenting self-efficacy, additional factors may explain its connection to PMU. Further research is needed to clarify these pathways and inform intervention strategies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

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