Parental Depression as a Moderator of Secondary Deficits of Depression in Adult Offspring
Submitted on Wednesday, 20 May 2009
No Comment
No Comment
Abstract This study examined whether having a depressed parent intensifies the secondary deficits that often co-occur with offspring’s
depression symptoms. The sample was adult offspring of parents who had been diagnosed with depression 23 years earlier (N = 143) and demographically matched nondepressed parents (N = 197). Respondents completed mailed questionnaires. After controlling for demographic factors, offspring who were more depressed
experienced more impairment: physical dysfunction, pain, and disability; anxiety, smoking, and drinking-related problems;
poorer social resources; negative events and severe stressors; and reliance on emotional discharge coping. Parental status
(depressed or not depressed) was not directly related to offspring impairment once offspring depression symptoms were controlled.
However, parental status moderated associations between offspring’s depression severity and their impairment: relationships
between depression and impairments were generally stronger for offspring of depressed parents than for offspring of nondepressed
parents. Depressed individuals who are offspring of depressed parents may be at particular risk for the secondary deficits
of depression.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Article
- DOI 10.1007/s10578-009-0145-x
- Authors
- Christine Timko, Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System (152-MPD) Center for Health Care Evaluation 795 Willow Road Menlo Park CA 94025 USA
- Ruth C. Cronkite, Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System (152-MPD) Center for Health Care Evaluation 795 Willow Road Menlo Park CA 94025 USA
- Ralph Swindle, Eli Lilly and Company Indianapolis IN USA
- Rebecca L. Robinson, Eli Lilly and Company Indianapolis IN USA
- Anne Sutkowi, Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System (152-MPD) Center for Health Care Evaluation 795 Willow Road Menlo Park CA 94025 USA
- Rudolf H. Moos, Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System (152-MPD) Center for Health Care Evaluation 795 Willow Road Menlo Park CA 94025 USA
- Journal Child Psychiatry and Human Development
- Online ISSN 1573-3327
- Print ISSN 0009-398X
- Journal Volume Volume 40
- Journal Issue Volume 40, Number 4 / December, 2009
Leave your response!