Abstract
Aims and method To determine rates of parent-reported child awareness of parental depression, examine characteristics of parents, children and families according to child awareness, and explore whether child awareness is associated with child psychopathology. Data were available from 271 families participating in the Early Prediction of Adolescent Depression (EPAD) study, a longitudinal study of offspring of parents with recurrent depression.Results Seventy-three per cent of participating children were perceived as being aware of their parent’s depression. Older children, and children of parents who experienced more severe depression, were more likely to be aware. Awareness was not associated with child psychopathology.Clinical implications Considering children in the context of parental depression is important. Child awareness may influence their access to early intervention and prevention programmes. Further research is needed to understand the impact of awareness on the child.
Highlights
Differences in the sample according to child awareness of parental depression The study children who were thought to be aware of their parent’s depression were significantly older than children who were not aware (15.0 v. 14.1 years; t(267) = 3.39, P = 0.001)
On excluding fathers from the analysis, rates of maternal inpatient admission for depression became significantly greater in the children who were aware (w2 = 4.053, d.f. = 1, P = 0.044), but results otherwise remained unchanged
Regression analyses were adjusted for child age and parent worst ever Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), as these variables were found to be significantly different according to child awareness of parental depression
Summary
Most parents in the sample (99.6%) believed someone else to be aware of their depression. 14.1 years; t(267) = 3.39, P = 0.001) They were more likely to be aware when their parent’s depression had been more severe, indexed by a lower GAF score Reported rates of access to services due to concerns about child behaviours or emotions were somewhat higher where children were thought to be aware, differences failed to reach statistical significance Regression analyses were adjusted for child age and parent worst ever GAF, as these variables were found to be significantly different according to child awareness of parental depression. Parent’s depression, associations between child awareness and child disorder were not significant (Table 2). There was no significant association between child awareness of parental depression and child symptoms of depression, anxiety, ADHD or disruptive behaviour disorder (Table 2). Excluding fathers from analysis did not affect these findings (results available on request)
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