Work

Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents

Year: 1995

Type: article

Abstract: The relationship between maternal depressive symptoms and rates of adolescent (15-16 years) depressive symptoms was studied in a birth cohort of 934 New Zealand children. There was a clear correlation between maternal depressive symptoms and subsequent depressive symptoms in adolescent females (r = .44) but no association (r = -.01) between maternal depressive symptoms and depressive symptoms in adolescent males. Subsequent analysis suggested that the correlation between maternal depression and depressive symptoms in adolescent females was largely explained by the associations of both measures with a series of social and contextual factors including social disadvantage, marital discord and family adversity. It is concluded that maternal depression is only associated with depression in adolescence insofar as maternal depression is associated with social disadvantage, marital discord or family adversity.

Source: Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry

DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1995.tb01363.x

Authors: David M. Fergusson, L. John Horwood, Michael T. Lynskey

Institution: Christchurch Hospital

Language: English

Topic: Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: Canterbury Medical Research Foundation, Health Research Council of New Zealand