Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Loneliness: Differential Links to Child Depressive Symptoms during COVID-19

In this study, maternal depressive symptoms at an earlier time did not significantly predict loneliness, but earlier maternal loneliness significantly predicted later depressive symptoms. Further, maternal depressive symptoms predicted child depressive symptoms, but loneliness did not. Findings suggest that loneliness may contribute to maternal depressive symptoms (but not vice versa).