ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To systematically review current research evidence of associations between improvement in parents' depression and their children's psychopathology. METHOD: Relevant studies were identified using PsycINFO (1806-2007) and Medline (1950-2007). The search terms used were "depression," "postpartum depression," "treatment," "mothers," "fathers," "parents," "offspring," "mother child relations," and "father child relations." The reference sections of identified articles were also examined for additional relevant articles. Open and controlled clinical trials and observational studies of depressed parents that also included psychological and behavioral assessments of offspring 18 years of age or younger were included in the review. RESULTS: Ten studies meeting broad criteria for inclusion were reviewed. These studies varied considerably in sample, treatment, assessment, and analysis. Based on the few studies, there is some evidence of associations between successful treatment of parents' depression and improvement in children's symptoms and functioning, but treatment of postpartum depression may not be sufficient for improving cognitive development, attachment, and temperament in infants and toddlers. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the public health implications of the findings, further study of the effects of improvement in parental depression on child psychopathology is warranted. These studies need to examine the precise relation between parental and child symptoms, the differential effect of parents' treatment with psychotherapy versus medication, the effect of fathers' as well as mothers' symptomatic improvement on children, and mediators and moderators of the relation between parental improvement and child psychopathology.
Subject(s)
Antidepressive Agents/therapeutic use , Depression, Postpartum/psychology , Depression, Postpartum/therapy , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Depressive Disorder/therapy , Mental Disorders/prevention & control , Mental Disorders/psychology , Parenting/psychology , Parents/psychology , Psychotherapy , Adolescent , Child , Child Behavior Disorders/prevention & control , Child Behavior Disorders/psychology , Child, Preschool , Clinical Trials as Topic , Combined Modality Therapy , Father-Child Relations , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Mother-Child Relations , Psychopathology , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
This article examined the relation of five subtypes of trauma symptoms to hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) functioning as assessed with salivary cortisol before, during, and after an experimentally induced interpersonal conflict task in 194 heterosexual young adult couples. Trauma history and symptoms were assessed through structured clinical interviews and standardized self-report measures. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to analyze the effects of trauma symptoms on trajectories of cortisol reactivity to and recovery from the interpersonal stress. Trauma-related anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and dissociation significantly predicted cortisol reactivity and recovery. Trauma-related anxiety, sleep disturbances, and sexual problems significantly predicted partners' cortisol reactivity to interpersonal stress.
Subject(s)
Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System/physiopathology , Stress, Psychological/physiopathology , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Wounds and Injuries/physiopathology , Wounds and Injuries/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Interpersonal Relations , Male , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Sex CharacteristicsABSTRACT
This study investigated theoretically predicted links between attachment style and a physiological indicator of stress, salivary cortisol levels, in 124 heterosexual dating couples. Cortisol was assessed at 7 points before and after an experimental conflict negotiation task, creating a trajectory of stress reactivity and recovery for each participant. Growth modeling of cortisol data tested hypotheses that (a) insecurely attached individuals show patterns of greater physiological stress reactions to interpersonal conflict than do securely attached individuals and (b) people with insecurely attached partners show patterns of greater stress in reaction to relationship conflict than those with securely attached partners. Hypothesis 1 was supported, but men and women differed in the type of insecure attachment that predicted stress trajectories. Hypothesis 2 was supported for men, but not for women. The discussion emphasizes the role of gender role norms and partner characteristics in understanding connections between adult attachment and patterns of cortisol responses to interpersonal stress.