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Grandparental anxiety and depression predict young children's internalizing and externalizing problems: the
Rolieke A M Cents1, Henning Tiemeier, Maartje P C M Luijk
1The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC-University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Journal of Affective Disorders
|July 20, 2010
Summary
Grandparental psychiatric disorders, including anxiety and depression, are linked to child behavioral issues. This risk persists regardless of parental mental health, highlighting the importance of multigenerational family history in understanding child behavior.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Developmental Psychology
- Genetics
Background:
- Family history is a significant risk factor for child problem behaviors.
- Previous research on grandparental psychiatric disorders and child behavior has yielded inconsistent results.
- The independent effect of grandparental depression on child behavior, separate from parental psychopathology, requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between grandparental psychiatric disorders and child problem behavior.
- To determine if grandparental psychopathology impacts child behavior independently of parental psychopathology.
- To explore the role of multigenerational family history in child behavioral outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A population-based prospective cohort study was conducted in the Netherlands.
- Mothers and children were assessed postpartum, with parental and grandparental psychopathology evaluated during pregnancy.
- Child behavior was assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) at three years of age.
Main Results:
- Grandparental anxiety disorder significantly predicted maternal reports of children's internalizing (OR=1.98) and externalizing (OR=1.73) problems, independent of parental psychopathology.
- Grandparental depression also predicted child internalizing (OR=1.75) and externalizing (OR=1.67) problems, independent of parental psychopathology.
- No significant association was found between grandparental psychopathology and child behavior problems as reported by fathers.
Conclusions:
- Grandparental psychiatric disorders are important predictors of child behavioral problems, even when parental psychopathology is controlled for.
- These findings underscore the significance of including grandparental mental health history when assessing family history for child behavioral issues.
- The study highlights the multigenerational transmission of risk for child behavioral problems.
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