A Comparative Study of Temperament in Children of Patients Suffering from Depression in Comparison to Normal Controls.

Temperament is a very important aspect of functioning that needs to be understood in children of patients suffering from depression. It may be an early sign of vulnerability to the later development of depression. Early detection and early intervention in children of patients with depression are in premature state in India. The present study aimed to study the temperament characteristics in children of patients suffering from depression as compared to age and sex matched control sample. A case control study was conducted on children aged 4-16 years of patients with depression who presented to indoor and outdoor services of department of psychiatry in Lady Hardinge Medical College evaluating them on Temperament Measurement Schedule and comparing the outcome with children of healthy parents matched for age, sex, education, and socioeconomic status with the children of patients suffering from depression were found to show significantly lower threshold of responsiveness, lower approach withdrawal; they were low on sociability, low on mood, low on emotionality and lower activity ,intensity, energy and distractibility as compared to control. These children had lower mean score on the variable- Adaptability, Persistence and Rhythmicity although the difference was not found to be statistically significant.

Depressive Symptoms and Subjective Quality of Life in Parents of Boys with Duchenne/Becker Muscular Dystrophy

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the current study was to evaluate subject quality of life in depressed parents of boys with Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy (DMB/BMD). In addition, a specific relationship between subject quality of life and the severity of depressive symptom was explored. METHODS: The participants were 15 depressed parents who had moderate to severe depressive symptoms and 35 non-depressed parents of boys with DMD/BMD. All participants completed the World Health Organization Quality Of Life Scale, Brief Version and the Beck Depression Inventory. Other instruments included the Family Relationship Scale and the Child Behavior Checklist. RESULTS: Among various model predictors, only higher score on the Beck Depression Inventory predicted lower scores on all domains of the World Health Organization Quality Of Life Scale, Brief Version. In addition, depressed parents had significantly lower scores on all domains of the World Health Organization Quality Of Life Scale, Brief Version including physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment, relative to non-depressed parents. CONCLUSION: Findings of the current study suggest that all domains of subjective quality of life may be influenced by depressive symptoms in parents of boys with DMD/BMD.