Pediatric Depression: Your depression could be influencing the mental health of your child

Psych Central recently published an article on the 27th of February, 2012 of an NYU study relating the effects that depressed parents can have on their children’s mental health. The study involved cases where children had a depressed mother or depressed father, both, or neither (control). The researchers on the study believed that the depressive behavior of the parents could have a negative effect on their children. The study confirmed the following results:

1. 6% of children with neither a depressed mother or father displayed emotional or behavioral problems, while 25% of children with both a depressed father and mother displayed emotional or behavioral problems

2. 15% of children with a depressed father displayed emotional or behavioral problems, while 20% of children with a depressed mother displayed emotional or behavioral problems

Lesson of the article: Your depression could be influencing the mental health of your child