An application of the Biobehavioral Family Model: Examining the impact of maternal depression on child asthma mediated by insecure attachment and child depression

OBJECTIVE: Child asthma disparities are prevalent in socio‐economically stressed single‐parent families. Stress impacts childhood asthma mediated by immune and autonomic pathways, but specific family stress pathways are not well established. This study tests the hypothesis, derived from a version of the Biobehavioral Family Model, that single parent maternal depression impacts child asthma mediated by insecure attachment and child depression. METHODS: In a cross‐sectional study, children with asthma (age 7–17 years old) from a socio‐economically disadvantaged population and their single parent mothers (N = 202) were assessed for depression and attachment security. Child asthma disease activity was assessed by symptom report and lung function tests. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test a model in which caregiver depression impacts child asthma disease activity mediated by insecure attachment and child depression. RESULTS: SEM results indicated that maternal depression statistically predicted child depression (β = 0.21, p < 0.01) and insecure mother–child attachment (β = 0.17, p < 0.05). In addition, insecure attachment statistically predicted child depression (β = 0.50, p < 0.001). Child depression mediated the adverse effects of maternal depression and insecure attachment on child asthma disease activity (β = 0.43, p < 0.01). There was no direct effect of insecure attachment on child asthma. CONCLUSION: In single‐parent families, maternal depression may impact child asthma disease activity, mediated serially by insecure attachment and child depression. Longitudinal and/or intervention studies are needed to establish a causal effect. These findings suggest that caregiver depression and parent–child relationships may be important targets for family intervention. These interventions may help improve child asthma outcomes and reduce health disparities.