The Timing of Parent and Child Depression: A Hopelessness Theory Perspective

This study examined whether children's inferential styles moderate the association between the onset of depressive symptoms in children and their parents. To provide a powerful test of our hypotheses, we utilized a high-risk sample (parents with a history of major depressive episodes and their...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of clinical child and adolescent psychology 2006-06, Vol.35 (2), p.253-263
Main Authors: Abela, John R. Z., Skitch, Steven A., Adams, Philippe, Hankin, Benjamin L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Age Factors
Child
Child psychology
Children
Children & youth
Depression
Depression (Psychology)
Depressive Disorder - psychology
Disease Susceptibility
Female
Gender Differences
Hopelessness theory
Humans
Hypotheses
Hypothesis Testing
Inferences
Linear Models
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Mental depression
Negativism
Parent Child Relationship
Parent Influence
Parents
Parents & parenting
Parents - psychology
Predictive Value of Tests
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Psychological Theory
Severity of Illness Index
Sex Factors
Symptoms (Individual Disorders)
Theory
Time Factors
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Summary:This study examined whether children's inferential styles moderate the association between the onset of depressive symptoms in children and their parents. To provide a powerful test of our hypotheses, we utilized a high-risk sample (parents with a history of major depressive episodes and their children) and a multiwave longitudinal design. During the initial assessment, 140 children (ages 6 to 14) completed measures assessing depressogenic inferential styles. Parents and children also completed measures assessing current level of depressive symptoms. Following the initial assessment, children and parents were contacted every 6 weeks for the next year to complete measures assessing depressive symptoms. The results of hierarchical linear modeling analyses indicated that children who exhibited depressogenic inferential styles reported greater elevations in depressive symptoms following elevations in their parent's level of depressive symptoms than did children who did not exhibit such styles. The strength of this association was greater in girls.
ISSN:1537-4416
1537-4424
DOI:10.1207/s15374424jccp3502_9