A risk and resilience framework was used to examine longitudinal relationships among food insecurity, depressive symptoms, parenting confidence, perceived parenting support, and knowledge of community resources. Data from Rural Families Speak (a multistate longitudinal study of rural low-income families) were analyzed using path analysis for 314 rural mothers with low incomes. Results show that food insecurity and depressive symptoms in Wave 1 predicted increased depressive symptoms in Wave 2, and depressive symptoms in Wave 2 were related to decreased perceived parenting support and parenting confidence in Wave 2. Knowledge of community resources in Wave 1 moderated the relationship between depressive symptoms in Wave 1 and perceived parenting support in Wave 2, as well as the relationship between food insecurity in Wave 1 and parenting confidence in Wave 2. Implications of the impact of food insecurity and depressive symptoms on parenting among rural low-income mothers are discussed
