# The Longitudinal and Reciprocal Associations Among Maternal Aggravation, Verbal Aggression, and Internalizing Problems from Childhood to Adolescence

## TL;DR

This study explores how a mother's aggravation and verbal aggression relate to a child's internalizing problems from childhood to adolescence.

## Contribution

The study reveals the longitudinal and reciprocal nature of maternal aggravation and child internalizing problems.

## Key findings

- Maternal aggravation is linked to child internalizing problems from childhood to adolescence.
- Child internalizing problems are associated with maternal aggravation only in early childhood.
- Maternal verbal aggression does not mediate the relationship between aggravation and child problems.

## Abstract

Parents have a major influence on a child’s wellbeing, including the development of internalizing problems in their children. Furthermore, the influences between parents and their children could be reciprocal. This study examined the longitudinal, reciprocal association between maternal aggravation and child internalizing problems from childhood to adolescence and the potential mediating role of maternal verbal aggression. Using a sample of approximately 5000 mothers across four waves from the Future of Families & Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), results from a cross-lagged autoregressive model suggested that maternal aggravation was related to child internalizing problems from childhood to adolescence, whereas child internalizing problems were related to maternal aggravation only during early childhood. No mediation effect through maternal verbal aggression was found. Taken together, these findings highlight the long-term and direct impact of maternal aggravation on child internalizing problems, which has important implications for family researchers and practitioners.