Abstract
Few studies have assessed the characteristics of spousal psychopathologies among parents of schoolchildren with and without psychological disorders (PD) in China. Parental symptoms were measured using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) in 275 mothers and 278 fathers of 298 schoolchildren with PDs diagnosed in a population survey and in 825 mothers and 834 fathers of 894 schoolchildren without PDs as a 1:3 matched comparison group. Spousal GHQ scores were compared. Childhood PD type, presence of childhood comorbidities, and multiple parental and family characteristics were examined as predictors for parental GHQ scores by multiple linear regression analyses. The GHQ scores were significantly higher among mothers and fathers of children with any PD. Maternal GHQ scores were higher than paternal scores and significantly correlated with paternal GHQ scores in both groups. Spousal GHQ, personal PD history, and childhood PD comorbidity were significant independent predictors of both parents' GHQ scores. There were also significant associations among parental chronic disease, low family income, and paternal and maternal GHQ score, as well as among low maternal education, less common disorder (LCD) prevalence in children and maternal GHQ score. The rate of GHQ score ≥3 for both parents was significantly higher in the study group than the control group (15.1 vs.7.0%). Parents of children with any PD type demonstrate significantly elevated psychopathologies, and psychopathology tends to occur concomitantly and resemble that of the other spouse. Screening and treatment of parental psychiatric symptoms will benefit all family members.
Highlights
The parents of children with psychiatric disorders (PDs) are themselves at greater risk for psychiatric symptoms [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]
Divorce rate, parental PD incidence, positive conduct disorder (CD) history, and parent’s dissatisfaction with child’s academic performance were significantly higher in the study group, while family income was significantly lower in the study group
Among the schoolchildren with and without PD, there were no significant differences in living area, sex ratio, presence of siblings, and average age between study and control groups
Summary
The parents of children with psychiatric disorders (PDs) are themselves at greater risk for psychiatric symptoms [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]. Few studies have assessed the psychopathologies of parents with children affected by different types of childhood PDs, examined if the presence of comorbidities among these children worsens parental psychopathologies or evaluated whether spouses share specific features of psychopathology. Identification of factors influencing shared symptoms of mental illness among family members is critical for improved screening and treatment of at-risk families This case–control study assessed the characteristics of maternal and paternal psychiatric symptoms among parents of schoolchildren with and without PDs and explored the parent–child and parent–parent mental health relationships in China. Screening and treatment of parental psychiatric symptoms will benefit all family members
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