Effects of Dysphoria on Maternal Exchange Dispositions

Defining dysphoria as subclinical depression, we explored the extent to which maternal dysphoria influences the quality of relationships within the family and evaluated whether the effect of dysphoria on family relationships is selective or general and whether dysphoric effects on maternal behavior are similar or different when ratings of maternal behaviors are made by mothers versus observers. We expected that dysphoria would have general rather than selective effects on family relations rated by mothers and observers. In a sample of 40 American families at risk of child abuse or neglect, we found that maternal dysphoria did have significantly negative effects on mother-to-child and mother-to-parenting-partner relations, suggesting that maternal dysphoria has general rather than selective effects.