Family functioning as a mediator or moderator between child behavioural and emotional problems and maternal psychological distress

Daniel Sutherland; Paul Thompson; Samantha Flynn; Richard Hastings

doi:10.3109/13668250.2024.2448005

Family functioning as a mediator or moderator between child behavioural and emotional problems and maternal psychological distress

Daniel Sutherland^*
, Paul Thompson
, Samantha Flynn
, Richard Hastings

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Background: Mothers of children with intellectual disabilities are more likely to show elevated psychological distress, with child behavioural and emotional problems being a significant risk factor. Family Resilience Theory suggests that family relationships are crucial in influencing adaptation to stressors. We investigated whether family functioning mediates or moderates the relationship between child behavioural and emotional problems and subsequent maternal psychological distress.

Method: We conducted mediation and moderation analyses on data from 324 mothers of children with intellectual disabilities in a United Kingdom (UK) prospective longitudinal cohort study.

Results: Family functioning had a small mediating effect on the relationship between child behavioural and emotional problems and subsequent maternal psychological distress. Family functioning did not moderate the relationship between child behavioural and emotional problems and later maternal psychological distress.

Conclusions: The mechanism of the effect of child behavioural and emotional problems on maternal mental health may at least partially involve changes in family functioning.

Original language	English
Journal	Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability
Early online date	14 Jan 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3109/13668250.2024.2448005
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 14 Jan 2025

Bibliographical note

Copyright:
© 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

family resilience theory
Intellectual disabilities
longitudinal
mental health

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Education
Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
General Psychology

Access to Document

10.3109/13668250.2024.2448005Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

SutherlandD2025FamilyFinal published version, 1.1 MBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

Cite this

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title = "Family functioning as a mediator or moderator between child behavioural and emotional problems and maternal psychological distress",

abstract = "Background: Mothers of children with intellectual disabilities are more likely to show elevated psychological distress, with child behavioural and emotional problems being a significant risk factor. Family Resilience Theory suggests that family relationships are crucial in influencing adaptation to stressors. We investigated whether family functioning mediates or moderates the relationship between child behavioural and emotional problems and subsequent maternal psychological distress. Method: We conducted mediation and moderation analyses on data from 324 mothers of children with intellectual disabilities in a United Kingdom (UK) prospective longitudinal cohort study. Results: Family functioning had a small mediating effect on the relationship between child behavioural and emotional problems and subsequent maternal psychological distress. Family functioning did not moderate the relationship between child behavioural and emotional problems and later maternal psychological distress. Conclusions: The mechanism of the effect of child behavioural and emotional problems on maternal mental health may at least partially involve changes in family functioning.",

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author = "Daniel Sutherland and Paul Thompson and Samantha Flynn and Richard Hastings",

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day = "14",

doi = "10.3109/13668250.2024.2448005",

language = "English",

journal = "Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability",

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T1 - Family functioning as a mediator or moderator between child behavioural and emotional problems and maternal psychological distress

AU - Sutherland, Daniel

AU - Thompson, Paul

AU - Flynn, Samantha

AU - Hastings, Richard

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Y1 - 2025/1/14

N2 - Background: Mothers of children with intellectual disabilities are more likely to show elevated psychological distress, with child behavioural and emotional problems being a significant risk factor. Family Resilience Theory suggests that family relationships are crucial in influencing adaptation to stressors. We investigated whether family functioning mediates or moderates the relationship between child behavioural and emotional problems and subsequent maternal psychological distress. Method: We conducted mediation and moderation analyses on data from 324 mothers of children with intellectual disabilities in a United Kingdom (UK) prospective longitudinal cohort study. Results: Family functioning had a small mediating effect on the relationship between child behavioural and emotional problems and subsequent maternal psychological distress. Family functioning did not moderate the relationship between child behavioural and emotional problems and later maternal psychological distress. Conclusions: The mechanism of the effect of child behavioural and emotional problems on maternal mental health may at least partially involve changes in family functioning.

AB - Background: Mothers of children with intellectual disabilities are more likely to show elevated psychological distress, with child behavioural and emotional problems being a significant risk factor. Family Resilience Theory suggests that family relationships are crucial in influencing adaptation to stressors. We investigated whether family functioning mediates or moderates the relationship between child behavioural and emotional problems and subsequent maternal psychological distress. Method: We conducted mediation and moderation analyses on data from 324 mothers of children with intellectual disabilities in a United Kingdom (UK) prospective longitudinal cohort study. Results: Family functioning had a small mediating effect on the relationship between child behavioural and emotional problems and subsequent maternal psychological distress. Family functioning did not moderate the relationship between child behavioural and emotional problems and later maternal psychological distress. Conclusions: The mechanism of the effect of child behavioural and emotional problems on maternal mental health may at least partially involve changes in family functioning.

KW - family resilience theory

KW - Intellectual disabilities

KW - longitudinal

KW - mental health

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85214797233

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DO - 10.3109/13668250.2024.2448005

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85214797233

SN - 1366-8250

JO - Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability

JF - Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability

ER -

Family functioning as a mediator or moderator between child behavioural and emotional problems and maternal psychological distress

Abstract

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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