Psychosocial Outcomes of Adult Children of Mothers With Depression and Bipolar Disorder

Abstract

Research has established that children of parents with mental illness, compared with normative samples, are more likely to have emotional/ behavioral problems or psychiatric diagnoses themselves. Few studies have examined these children at adulthood, however, to document their diverse psychosocial outcomes and the parenting and contextual variables that predict differences.This study addressed this gap through interviews with 61 adult children of mothers with major depression or bipolar disorder. Outcomes were extremely heterogeneous, ranging from few problems with alcohol use or behavioral health to high incarceration rates and mental health services usage. In examining children at adulthood, race/ethnicity, mother's diagnosis, and contextual factors such as family and social environment were significant predictors of satisfaction with life. Diagnosis was only marginally predictive of life satisfaction. Self-reported risk factors such as a serious injury to parents, family members' having trouble with the law, and experiencing abuse or neglect as a child were not predictive of adult outcomes.