Anxiety and depression in mothers of speech impaired children

In the adult population, anxiety and depression are the most frequent emotional disorders. In cases when mothers of speech impaired children are affected by these disorders may significantly influence the development of the child. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of anxiety and depression in mothers of speech impaired children as literature provides only little information on this topic.

Hundred mothers (age 33.4 +/- 5.3 years, range: 22-47 years) of 100 preschool children (32 girls, 68 boys; age 4.2 +/- 1.5 years, range 1;3-7;7 years) with a speech impairment were investigated. Children with cochlear hearing loss, syndromes or other developmental disorders were excluded from the study. To estimate the prevalence of anxiety disorders and depression in the mothers the German version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used. Data from 157 healthy women from the German test manual served as controls. Microsoft Excel and Matlab software packages were used for description, analysis, and evaluation. The differences in prevalence rates were tested by chi2-test and Wilcoxon's rank sum test.

Assessed by the HADS-depression subscale 11% of the mothers of speech impaired children met criteria for depression compared to 2.5% in the control group. The prevalence in the study group was significantly higher (P < 1%). The prevalence of anxiety disorders did not differ from normative data on a significant level (P > 5%).

Screening mothers of speech impaired children for depression is of significant clinical interest. For this purpose, the HADS is a suitable test. Further studies are necessary to investigate the influence of speech impairment and its development on the severity and development of mothers' depression. Up to now, no data exist about how fathers of speech impaired children react emotionally, so this question has to be focused on in future.