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Association of Maternal and Paternal Depression in the Postnatal Period With Offspring Depression at Age 18 Years

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Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Guttierez Galve, L 
Stein, A 
Hanington, L 
Heron, J 
Lewis, G 

Abstract

Importance: Paternal depression during the postnatal period has been associated with adverse child outcomes. Family environment has been reported as a pathway for risk transmission from fathers to children. The effect of paternal depression during the postnatal period on offspring depression remains to be clarified. Objective: To investigate the association between paternal depression in the postnatal period and offspring depression; to explore potential mediating and moderating factors that influence any association between paternal and offspring depression. Design: Prospective investigation of associations between paternal depression during the postnatal period and offspring depression at age 18. We tested hypothesized moderator (i.e., gender). Path analysis examined hypothesized mediators (i.e., depression in the other parent, couple conflict, paternal involvement, emotional problems, conduct problems, and hyperactivity at 3.5 years) of the associations between both paternal and maternal depression and offspring depression. Setting: UK community based birth cohort (ALSPAC). Participants: 4,500 parents and their adolescent offspring. Exposure: Depression symptoms in fathers at 8 weeks after the birth of their child. Main Outcome and Measure: Offspring depression symptoms, aged 18, using ICD-10. Results: 3,176 fathers and offspring were analyzed (females=1,764; males=1,412). Paternal mean age (SD) at delivery was 29.6 (9.6) years. Offspring of fathers who have depression during the postnatal period are at increased risk of experiencing depression symptoms at 18 years (ß=0.053, 95% CI= 0.02-0.09). The association is mediated by maternal depression at 8 months [21% (0.011/0.053); ß=0.011, 95% CI=0.0008-0.02] and conduct problems at 42 months [7.5% (0.004/0.053); ß=0.004, 95% CI=-0.00004-0.009]. Couple conflict and paternal involvement do not mediate such association. The increased risk is seen in females but not in males (interaction ß=0.095, p=0.009). Conclusions and Relevance: The association between paternal depression postnatally and depression in females at 18 years is partially explained by maternal depression. Couple conflict and paternal involvement were not found to play a role in the risk of transmission. This contrasts with the role that couple conflict was found to play in the risk of childhood behavior problems. Conduct problems in childhood appears to be a pathway for risk transmission between paternal depression and subsequent depression at 18 years.

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Journal Title

JAMA Psychiatry

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2168-6238

Volume Title

76

Publisher

American Medical Association