Family Risk Factors for Adult Depressive Symptoms

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): It is important to identify early risk factors for depression, given its high prevalence rates and costliness to society. Although depression is often thought to have developmental roots in the family-of-origin, the prospective effects of early family characteristics on depression have rarely been empirically tested. To address this gap in the literature, the proposed study will analyze data from an existing longitudinal study to assess prospective effects of observed family interactions during adolescence on major depression and depressive symptoms in adulthood. In addition, the hypothesis that continuity in interpersonal interaction patterns from the family-of-origin to adult marital relationships may account for this prospective effect will be tested. That is, observed marital interactions patterns will be tested as a mediator of the effect of adolescent-era family interactions on adult depressive symptoms. Alternate pathways, such as the continuity of depressive symptoms, which may negatively impact both family and marital interactions, will also be considered. The proposed study will lay the foundation to future independent research investigating the longitudinal effects of specific family and marital characteristics and interaction patterns on individual mental health.