Resilience in high-risk adolescents of mothers with recurrent depressive disorder: The contribution of fathers

Liam Mahedy, Gordon T. Harold, Barbara Maughan, Frances Gardner, Ricardo Araya, Rhys Bevan Jones, Gemma Hammerton, Ruth Sellers, Anita Thapar, Stephan Collishaw

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This study examines the role of paternal emotional support as a resilience promoter in offspring of mothers with depression by considering the role of fathers' mental health and the quality of the couple relationship. Two hundred and sixty-five mothers with recurrent unipolar depression, partners and adolescents from Wales were assessed. Paternal emotional support, couple relationship quality, and paternal depression were assessed at baseline; adolescent mental health symptoms were assessed using the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Assessment at follow-up. Results showed evidence of an indirect pathway whereby couple relationship quality predicted paternal emotional support (β = -.21, 95% CI [-.34, -.08]; p = .002) which in turn predicted adolescent depression (β = -.18, 95% CI [-.33, -.04]; p = .02), but not disruptive behaviours (β = -.08, 95% CI [-.22, .07]; p = .30), after controlling for relevant confounders. The findings highlight that fathers and the broader family system play an important role in enhancing resilience to depression symptoms in at-risk adolescents.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)207-218
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of Adolescence
Volume65
Early online date7 Apr 2018
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2018

Keywords

  • Maternal depression
  • Resilience
  • Fathers
  • Emotional support
  • Adolescents

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