PSYCHIATRIC STATUS OF CHILDREN OF DEPRESSED PARENTS

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The offspring of unipolar depressed, bipolar depressed, and psychiatrically well parents were evaluated in terms of their relationships, their affective development and regulation, and their feelings and concepts about self. As part of a battery of measurements, psychiatric evaluations were made beginning at age 5, using a semi-standard interview (Child Assessment Schedule) plus mother's reports (Child Behavior Check List). The objective of this study is to investigate the status of the child as estimated by this data source. At this stage of analysis, each child was classified as manifesting one or more problems serious enough to be of clinical concern. In a cross-sectional analysis of the families seen thus far, the offspring of well, unipolar depressed, and bipolar depressed mothers were compared. Among the 5- to 6- year-olds, problems appeared in 8%, 39%, and 35% of the offspring in the well, unipolar, and bipolar groups, respectively. Among their siblings between 8 and 11 years of age, the comparable figures are 24%, 47%, and 36%. Among their older siblings in teens and young adulthood, the comparable figures are 25%, 65%, and 64%. Eight percent of the children of the well mothers had a problem (not necessarily the same problem) at both times; 20% of the children of the unipolar and if the bipolar mothers had a problem or problems of clinical concern at both periods. Based on the psychiatric interview, the groups were not clearly distinguished in content of problems.