The proposed study is designed to examine the relationship between maternal depression and child outcome in the context of a prospective, longitudinal cohort of 915 children born between 1981 and 1984 at the Mater Misericordiae Mother's Hospital in Queensland, Australia. Previously collected data are available from interviews with each mother conducted during pregnancy, three to four days after delivery, six months after delivery, and when her child was five years of age. Data are also available on the developmental and cognitive status of the child at age five as measured by direct physical examination and testing. Follow-up data will be collected from the Mater cohort through interviews with the mother, father and child, and from questionnaires given to the teacher when the child is 15 years of age. We will examine the following hypotheses concerning the relationship between maternal depression and child outcome: (1) Severity of maternal depressive episodes will predict level of offspring's social, behavioral and emotional functioning as well as offspring diagnostic outcomes at age 15; (2) Severity and chronicity of maternal depressive episodes will interact to predict to level of offspring social, behavioral and emotional functioning as well as offspring diagnostic outcomes at age 15; (3) Severe levels of maternal depression that occur during the offspring's very early childhood or during the offspring's adolescence will be related to elevations in specific types of behavioral problems at age 15; (4) Hypotheses 1 through 3 will be supported even when social demographic factors such as mother's marital status and family socioeconomic status are controlled; (5) Maternal personality disorder, paternal psychopathology, marital conflict, impaired parent-child relations, stressful life events, and child physical health problems will mediate the relationship between maternal depression and child outcome; and (6) High self esteem, superior cognitive abilities and consistent relationships with fathers (i.e., protective factors) will be related to positive outcomes for those children whose mothers are depressed.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01MH052239-03
Application #
2416049
Study Section
Child/Adolescent Risk and Prevention Review Committee (CAPR)
Project Start
1995-09-30
Project End
2000-04-30
Budget Start
1997-06-01
Budget End
1998-04-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1997
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Emory University
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
042250712
City
Atlanta
State
GA
Country
United States
Zip Code
30322
Raposa, Elizabeth B; Hammen, Constance (2018) A Daily Diary Investigation of the Influence of Early Family Adversity on Social Functioning during the Transition to Adulthood. Soc Dev 27:431-446
Starr, Lisa R; Hammen, Constance (2016) Genetic moderation of the association between adolescent romantic involvement and depression: Contributions of serotonin transporter gene polymorphism, chronic stress, and family discord. Dev Psychopathol 28:447-57
Conway, Christopher C; Starr, Lisa R; Espejo, Emmanuel P et al. (2016) Stress responsivity and the structure of common mental disorders: Transdiagnostic internalizing and externalizing dimensions are associated with contrasting stress appraisal biases. J Abnorm Psychol 125:1079-1089
Conway, Christopher C; Hammen, Constance; Brennan, Patricia A (2016) Optimizing Prediction of Psychosocial and Clinical Outcomes With a Transdiagnostic Model of Personality Disorder. J Pers Disord 30:545-66
Thompson, Sarah M; Hammen, Constance; Brennan, Patricia A (2016) The Impact of Asynchronous Pubertal Development on Depressive Symptoms in Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood Among Females. J Youth Adolesc 45:494-504
Dalton, Elizabeth D; Hammen, Constance L; Brennan, Patricia A et al. (2016) Pathways maintaining physical health problems from childhood to young adulthood: The role of stress and mood. Psychol Health 31:1255-71
Hammen, Constance; Bower, Julienne E; Cole, Steven W (2015) Oxytocin receptor gene variation and differential susceptibility to family environment in predicting youth borderline symptoms. J Pers Disord 29:177-92
Conway, Christopher C; Hammen, Constance; Brennan, Patricia A (2015) Adolescent precursors of adult borderline personality pathology in a high-risk community sample. J Pers Disord 29:316-33
Smearman, Erica L; Winiarski, D Anne; Brennan, Patricia A et al. (2015) Social stress and the oxytocin receptor gene interact to predict antisocial behavior in an at-risk cohort. Dev Psychopathol 27:309-18
Raposa, Elizabeth B; Hammen, Constance L; Brennan, Patricia A (2015) Close Friends' Psychopathology as a Pathway From Early Adversity to Young Adulthood Depressive Symptoms. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 44:742-50

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