| Treating Mother’s Depression may help Child |
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By Shiv Vatsayayen
Researchers from the STAR*D (Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression) study of therapies for depression have deduced that curing depression in mothers can also rid their children of problems such as anxiety and aggressive behavior.
The study, which appeared in Wednesday’s Journal of the American Medical Association, said that it is known that a parent’s depression can put stress on the entire family and often result in the children developing mental health problems.
The research studied 151 mothers who were treated across the country, and one child in each of their families between 2001 and 2004. Of the 114 children participants, aged 11 to 12 on average, 68 had no psychiatric disorder when their mothers began treatment.
In the children who had psychiatric problems at the beginning, the decrease in the level of psychiatric problems was 33% for those whose mothers recovered against 12% of whose mothers did not.
In the children who did not have psychiatric problems at the beginning, those whose mothers recovered stayed healthy, while 17% whose mothers remained depressed developed problems by the time the study ended.
Considering that About 1 in 8 U.S. women will be diagnosed with depression during their lifetime the study has much relevance.
Women may develop stress for varied reasons including recent childbirth. Here the disturbing part might be that Fewer than half the women who experience depression seek treatment.
Lead author of the study Myrna Weissman said, “Depression runs in families and has a strong genetic component, but environmental factors can trigger it. The study results indicate that for children of depressed mothers, that trigger is sometimes their mothers’ illness acting up.”
She said that even though the mothers normally put their children ahead of their needs, this could be a cue that they need to take care of themselves equally, and at times even before, in order to save their kids from future problems.
The study was mainly targeted on the women, as they are more susceptible to depression as compared to men, especially during women’s childbearing years, ages 25 to 44.
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