Stressful life events and depressive symptoms in mothers and fathers of young children

Eirini Flouri,Martina K Narayanan,Ane Nærde

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2017.12.098

Abstract

BackgroundParents of young children generally report more depressive symptoms than parents of adult children or people without children, mainly because the presence of young children increases exposure to significant stressors (such as stressful life events). However, most studies on the depressogenic role of stressful life events in parents of young children have focussed on mothers. MethodsUsing data from 1138 families with young children in Norway, we investigated gender differences in the effect of stressful life events after a child's birth on the development of parental depressive symptoms in 3 follow-ups at child's ages 3–6 years. We also explored if gender differences in disposition (personality) may explain any gender differences in the depressogenic effect of life events. ResultsNesting parents within families, we found a female gender bias for both neuroticism and depressive symptoms but no gender difference in the number of life events reported. Importantly, the number of stressful life events predicted the level and course of depressive symptoms similarly for mothers and fathers. Personality traits did not change the association between stressful life events and depressive symptoms in either mothers or fathers. LimitationsGiven the study design, causality cannot be inferred. ConclusionsThere was no gender difference in the depressogenic effect of stressful life events in our sample. There was no evidence for a female dispositional sensitivity to the depressogenic effect of stressful life events, either. Stressful life events put both mothers and fathers of young children at risk of depression.

Highlights

Depression is associated with a number of adverse cognitive, social and physical outcomes in both men and women (Moussavi et al, 2007)
In a large cohort of more than 1000 families with young children in Norway, we explored gender differences in the effect of the number of stressful life events after a child's birth on the development of parental depressive symptoms in 3 follow-ups at child's ages 3 to around 6 years
The data were drawn from the longitudinal Behavior Outlook Norwegian Developmental Study (BONDS), which tracks the development of 1159 children (559 girls) from 6 months

Summary

Introduction

Depression is associated with a number of adverse cognitive, social and physical outcomes in both men and women (Moussavi et al, 2007). In a large cohort of more than 1000 families with young children in Norway, we explored gender differences in the effect of the number of stressful life events after a child's birth on the development of parental depressive symptoms in 3 follow-ups at child's ages 3 to around 6 years. Parents of young children generally report more depressive symptoms than parents of adult children or people without children, mainly because the presence of young children increases exposure to significant stressors (such as stressful life events). Most studies on the depressogenic role of stressful life events in parents of young children have focussed on mothers. Methods: Using data from 1138 families with young children in Norway, we investigated gender differences in the effect of stressful life events after a child's birth on the development of parental depressive symptoms in 3 follow-ups at child's ages 3–6 years. Stressful life events put both mothers and fathers of young children at risk of depression

Methods

Results

Conclusion