Psychopathology and functioning among children of treated depressed fathers and mothers

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2014.04.012

Journal of Affective Disorders

Volume 164, 1 August 2014, Pages 107-111

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2014.04.012 Get rights and content

Abstract

Objective

Recent findings suggest that remissions of maternal depression are associated with decrease in offspring psychopathology. Little is known about the offspring effects of decrease in paternal depression.

Method

The offspring of married fathers and married mothers were compared. The analysis was restricted to married parents to control for the confounding effect of single parenthood which was more prevalent among depressed mothers. At baseline all parents met criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD), and participated in a 3 month randomized controlled trial to treat depression with a 6 month follow-up. Married parents (N=43) and their children aged 7–17 years (N=78) were assessed independently through direct interviews of children and parents at baseline and followed for 9 months. Child assessors were blind to the clinical status of parents and uninvolved in their treatment.

Results

At baseline, children of depressed fathers, compared to children of depressed mothers, had significantly fewer psychiatric disorders (11% vs. 37%; p=0.012) and less impairment as measured by the Columbia Impairment Scale (6.5 vs. 11.6; p=0.009). Over time, with treatment of parental depression, the prevalence of most child symptoms decreased among children of depressed mothers, but changed little among children of depressed fathers.

Limitations

The main limitation of the study is the small number of fathers and their offspring included in the study.

Conclusion

Maternal as compared to paternal depression had a greater impact on children. With treatment of parental depression the differential prevalence of child symptoms by parental gender narrowed over time. The clinical implication is that children may benefit from treatment of their depressed parents.

Introduction

Numerous studies have shown that children of depressed as compared to non-depressed parents have increased rates of depressive, anxiety and behavioral disorders (Beardslee et al., 2011, Weissman et al., 2006). Children of depressed fathers have increased rates of parent–child conflict and elevated rates of externalizing disorders (ALSPAC Study Team, 2005, Weitzman et al., 2011) similar to children of depressed mothers (Connell and Goodman, 2002). However, compared to paternal depression, the offspring of depressed mothers may be at greater risk of developing internalizing disorders (Beardslee et al., 2003, Kane and Garber, 2004, Klein et al., 2005).

Remissions of parental depression are associated with decrease in offspring psychopathology (Garber et al., 2011, Pilowsky et al., 2008). However, the remission studies have usually focused on depressed mothers. This report focuses on psychopathology and functioning among children of treatment-seeking depressed fathers and mothers as the parents recover from depression.

Section snippets

Methods

Ethics Approval. This study was approved by the New York State Psychiatric Institute Institutional Review Board.

Results

There were no statistically significant differences in educational level, employment status, mean number of children per family, or household income between depressed married mothers (N=34) and married fathers (N=9) participating in the study. Although not statistically significant, the sample included more Hispanic mothers than fathers (1[11.1%] and 12 [35.3%] Hispanic fathers and mothers, respectively; T=9.73; p<0.10; data not shown). The average age of the 9 fathers was 43.6 years compared

Discussion

Depression among treatment-seeking currently depressed fathers were associated with a lower prevalence of offspring psychiatric symptoms when compared to the offspring of currently depressed mothers. This finding concurs with the results of a recent study indicating that children of fathers with depressive symptoms had substantially lower emotional and behavioral problems than children of mothers with these symptoms (Weitzman et al., 2011). Weitzman et al.׳s study has limitations, i.e. child

Role of funding source

The funding sources did not contribute to the preparation of the manuscript. The manuscript was not reviewed by the funding sources and was not submitted for their approval.

Conflict of interest

No conflict declared.

Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the following grants: MH082255 Parental Remission of Depression and Child Psychopathology (MMW, PI); MH076961-01A2 (JWS, PI); MH077285-01A2 (PB, PI).

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At the crossroads of a global pandemic, here and there where public discourse misuses the concepts of depression, research has begun on a public health issue, that of adolescent depression. The Adodesp study (adolescent depression associated with parental depression) aims to study the interest of a preventive identification of adolescent depression, based on that of parental figures, while evaluating the orientation towards a care system articulated between primary care and mental health devices. To date, this study has included 42 adolescents based on the identification of 30 depressed parents. Preliminary results show that 45% of adolescents are depressed and support the need for systematic identification of adolescent depression in children of depressed parents. They also underline the difficulties and pitfalls of this identification by general practitioners and conclude that it would be useful to strengthen the link between primary care and mental health services.
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Brief reportPsychopathology and functioning among children of treated depressed fathers and mothers

Abstract

Objective

Method

Results

Limitations

Conclusion

Introduction

Section snippets

Methods

Results

Discussion

Role of funding source

Conflict of interest

Acknowledgments

J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry

J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry

Clin. Psychol. Rev.

J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry

J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry

Lancet

Women and major depressive disorder: clinical perspectives on causal pathways

J. Women׳s Health

A family-based approach to the prevention of depressive symptoms in children at risk: evidence of parental and child change

Pediatrics

Children of affectively ill parents: a review of the past 10 years

J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry

Binary data with two, non-nested sources of clustering: an analysis of physician recommendations for early prostate cancer treatment

Biostatistics

Global measures of impairment for epidemiologic and clinical use with children and adolescents

Int. J. Methods. Psychiatr. Res.

The Columbia Impairment Scale (CIS): pilot findings on a measure of global impairment for children and adolescents

Int. J. Methods Psychiatr. Res.

The association between psychopathology in fathers versus mothers and children׳s internalizing and externalizing behavior problems: a meta-analysis

Psychol. Bull.

Promoting fathers’ engagement with children: preventive interventions for low-income families

J. Marriage Fam.

Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Extracted from regular and change versions of the schedule for affective disorders and schizophrenia

Arch. Gen. Psychiatry

Remission of depression in parents: links to healthy functioning in their children

Child Dev.

Brief report
Psychopathology and functioning among children of treated depressed fathers and mothers