555 - Inter-partner conflict in the perinatal period: Implications for maternal postpartum depression and child socioemotional development at 24 months

Poster Number: 555
Publication Number: 555.1941

Background: Rates of inter-partner destructive conflict strategies, such as verbal aggression or physical/sexual violence, rose during the COVID-19 pandemic and confer risk for parental mental health problems and child socioemotional development. There is limited research on the impact of different inter-partner conflict tactics during the perinatal period on postpartum depression and subsequent child socioemotional development during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: Evaluate associations between inter-partner conflict tactics, including physical/sexual intimate partner violence (IPV), verbal aggression, and constructive strategies (e.g., showing respect or using negotiation), maternal postpartum depression symptoms, and child socioemotional functioning at 24 months among children born during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/Methods: This study draws data from the COVID-19 Mother-Baby Outcomes (COMBO) Initiative at Columbia University. Enrolled mothers with and without SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy completed online surveys. At 2 months postpartum mothers reported on IPV, verbal aggression, and constructive conflict tactics used in the past year on the Conflict Tactics Scale – short form (CTS2S). Maternal depression symptoms (PHQ-9) were assessed at 4 months postpartum (n=213) and child behavior problems were assessed at 24 months using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; n=197). Multiple regression analyses were used to evaluate associations between study constructs (covariates: maternal age, child age, and insurance status).

Results: Of the mothers assessed at 2 months postpartum (n=343), 8.2% (n=28) reported involvement in physical or sexual IPV during the perinatal period. At 4 months postpartum, 4.69% (n=10) scored in the moderate/high range for depression. Greater inter-partner verbal aggression was associated with higher depression scores (B=.080, p=.0034). IPV (B=.87, p=.32) and constructive conflict (B=-.002, p=.92) were not related to maternal depression. Maternal depression or conflict tactics (p=NS) were not associated with child socioemotional functioning.

Conclusion(s): Higher levels of inter-partner verbal aggression, but not IPV, were associated with greater maternal depression severity at 4 months postpartum. Inter-partner conflict tactics and maternal depression were not associated with child socioemotional functioning in this sample. Supportive behavioral health interventions in the perinatal period can help families decrease use of destructive conflict tactics and promote positive postpartum mental health.