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Family environment and pediatric major depressive disorder

Kelin M Ogburn1, Marsal Sanches, Douglas E Williamson

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Tex., USA.

Psychopathology
|July 29, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Families with children diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) exhibit less cohesion and more conflict. Improving family dynamics may benefit children with MDD and their families.

Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Family Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Major depressive disorder (MDD) is influenced by biological and environmental factors.
  • Parental mental health and family environment are critical for child development.
  • Understanding the impact of a child's MDD on family dynamics is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate family functioning in households with a child diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD).
  • To compare family interaction patterns between families with and without a child with MDD.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia--Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL) for child and parent assessments.
  • Employed the Moos Family Environment Scale (FES) to evaluate parental perceptions of family functioning.
  • Analyzed data from 31 families with an MDD child and 34 control families using the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test.

Main Results:

  • Families with an MDD child reported significantly higher conflict levels (p < 0.001).
  • Lower levels of family cohesion (p < 0.001), expressiveness (p = 0.003), and recreational orientation (p = 0.02) were observed in families with an MDD child.
  • Significant differences in relationship and personal growth dimensions of family functioning were identified.

Conclusions:

  • Families with an MDD child demonstrate reduced commitment and support, with less encouragement for emotional expression.
  • Increased conflict is a notable characteristic of families with a child experiencing MDD.
  • Interventions targeting family dynamics may offer therapeutic benefits for children with MDD and their families.
Abstract

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