Developmental psychopathology theory speaks to the existence of
early-manifesting internalizing problems with a heterogeneous longitudinal
course. However, the course of internalizing problems has been
investigated largely from late childhood onward, with methods that assume
children's problem trajectories vary more so in rate than in
qualitative functional form. This can obscure heterogeneity in symptom
process and course, obscure onset of early gender differences in
internalizing problems, and obscure the relevance of early sociocontextual
risks for long-term internalizing outcomes. The present study addressed
these issues by using person-oriented (latent growth mixture) methods to
model heterogeneity in maternal-reported internalizing symptoms from age 2
to 11 years (N = 1,364). Three latent trajectory classes were
supported for each gender: two-thirds of children followed a low-stable
trajectory; smaller proportions followed decreasing/increasing or
elevated-stable trajectories. Although the number, shape, and predictive
validity of internalizing trajectory classes were similar across gender,
trajectory classes' initial values and rates of change varied
significantly across gender, as did the impact of maternal postpartum
depression and anxiety on latent growth factors. Extracted latent
trajectories were differentially predicted by postpartum maternal
psychopathology, and themselves, in several respects, differentially
predicted self-reported depressive symptoms in preadolescence. However,
discussion focuses on the need for further external validation of
extracted latent classes.The authors thank
Daniel J. Bauer for his insightful comments on earlier versions of this
manuscript.