Behavioral Problems And Injury More Common Among Children Of Depressed Mothers

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Main Category: Depression
Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry;  Pediatrics / Children's Health;  Mental Health
Article Date: 04 Dec 2007 - 13:00 PST

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If a child has a depressed mother he/she runs a higher risk of having behavioral problems and injuries, according to an article in Injury Prevention (BMJ).

US researchers analyzed what the effect maternal depression might have on child behavior/injury rates. They looked at data on 1,106 mother and child pairs during the period 1992-1994. The mothers and children were part of a long-term study called "National Longitudinal Study of Youth", which started in 1986.

They identified 94 children who had sustained injuries - they were all under six years of age. Their injuries were such that they had to receive medical attention. The majority of these injuries took place at home. Validated scales were utilized to evaluate problem behavior among the children and maternal depressive symptoms.

The researchers found that children whose mothers scored high in the depression scales ran twice the risk of becoming injured, compared to children whose mothers were not depressed or had low scores. They also found that the more the mother was depressed, the higher the chances were that the child would have behavioral problems and "act out". The risk was especially evident among boys.

Further analysis showed that for every higher point on the mother's depression score a child's risk of injury rose 4%, while his/her risk of having behavioral problems rose by 6%.

The findings still stood after such factors as household income, academic levels, and health insurance coverage were taken into account.

The researchers believe that maternal depression may raise behavioral problem risks, which in turn increase the risk of injury. It is also possible, they say, that a depressed mother may not be supervising her kids as effectively as she might do if she did not have depression.

"Maternal depression, child behavior, and injury"
K Phelan, J Khoury, H Atherton, R S Kahn
Injury Prevention 2007;13:403-408; doi:10.1136/ip.2006.014571
Click here to view abstract online

Written by - Christian Nordqvist
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