Detailed contribution information
| Contribution title | 2604 - Parental depressive symptoms as a risk factor for child depressive symptoms; testing the environmental mediators in internationally adopted children |
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| Contribution code | PS02-52 (P) |
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| Form of presentation | Poster |
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| Abstract |
Objectives: The aim of our study was to investigate the extent to which depressive symptoms of both parents associate with offspring depressive symptoms and whether environmental factors mediate these associations using data from adopted children with no shared genetic background. Most of the previous research has been focused on genetic influence and furthermore on maternal depression. Methods: Data were derived from the on-going Finnish Adoption (FinAdo) survey study, the target population of which consists of all children internationally adopted through three legalized adoption organizations in Finland between 1985 and 2007 (we used a subsample of adopted children aged between 9 and 12, n=548). Parental depressive symptoms were measured using the short version of the General Health Questionnaire and Children Depression Inventory was used to measure depressive symptoms in adoptees. Results: Paternal depressive symptoms were related to offspring’s total depressive symptoms (B=0,33, p=0,05), negative mood (B=0,10, p=0,03) and interpersonal problems (B=0,06, p=0,009) dimensions. These associations remained significant, even when adjusted for child’s age and gender, age at adoption, type of placement before adoption, continent of birth and adoptive family’s SES. No associations were found between maternal and any dimensions of offspring depressive symptoms. Maternal and paternal psychopathology combined were associated with offspring’s interpersonal problems. Conclusions: We interpret the results as demonstrating that intergenerational transmission of depressive symptoms is not solely related to shared genes. Also, the results highlight the association of paternal depression with offspring depressive symptoms. We were also able to show that paternal and maternal depressive symptoms combined pose a larger risk compared to single exposure. The association between parental depressive symptoms and offspring depressive symptoms may, of course, be due to reversed causality. However, this does not make this association any less serious. In our study the offspring depressive symptoms were not reported by their parents and that can be considered as a strength compared to some previous studies. |