Maternal Depression, Maternal Expressed Emotion, and Youth Psychopathology

Abstract

Across development, maternal depression has been found to be a risk factor for youth psychopathology generally and youth depression specifically. Maternal Expressed Emotion (EE) has been examined as a predictor of outcome among youth with depression. The present study explored the associations between youth psychopathology and two predictors-maternal depression within the child's lifetime and maternal EE-in a study of children at risk for depression. One hundred and seventy-one youth, ages 8-12, and their mothers participated. To assess maternal and youth psychopathology, dyads were administered structured diagnostic assessments, and mothers and children completed self-report measures of their own depressive symptoms. In addition, mothers completed the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist-Parent Report Version (CBCL) for their children. Maternal EE was assessed based on the Five Minute Speech Sample. History of maternal depression was associated with high maternal EE, and the combination of maternal depression history and maternal EE was associated with children's own reports of higher depressive symptoms. Current maternal depressive symptoms were associated with mothers' reports of children's Internalizing scores on the CBCL, and maternal depression history, current maternal depressive symptoms, and maternal EE were strongly associated with mothers' reports of children's Externalizing and Total Problem scores on the CBCL. History of maternal depression and a rating of high or borderline Critical EE (characterized by maternal critical comments and/or reports of a negative relationship) were independently associated with children's depression diagnoses.

Pediatric obsessive compulsive disorder: Family climate as a predictor of treatment outcome

“…Given the high rates of maternal EE observed in this sample, they are particularly sobering. Indeed, we found that 55% of mothers were high in EE, a rate that outpaces findings from research on pediatric bipolar disorder (46%; Sullivan & Miklowitz, 2010), and high risk children youth (25%; Tompson et al, 2010). Our prevalence rate roughly corresponds to rates of EE found in families of youth with ADHD (52%; Asarnow et al, 2001) and families of youngsters with intellectual disabilities (60%; Beck, Daley, Hastings & Stevenson, 2004).…”

“…Although additional work examining EE in the context of pediatric OCD has been slow to emerge, a handful of studies have examined parental psychopathology as a correlate of EE in other pediatric psychiatric populations (Tompson, Pierre, Boger, McKowen, Chan & Freed, 2010). These studies paint a mixed picture, with some suggesting that a history of maternal depression is associated with high maternal EE (Bolton, Calam, Barrowclough, Peters, Roberts, Wearden & Morris, 2003; Tompson et al, 2010) and others failing to find these links (Goldstein, Miklowitz, & Richards, 2002).…”

“…These studies paint a mixed picture, with some suggesting that a history of maternal depression is associated with high maternal EE (Bolton, Calam, Barrowclough, Peters, Roberts, Wearden & Morris, 2003; Tompson et al, 2010) and others failing to find these links (Goldstein, Miklowitz, & Richards, 2002). To our knowledge, no study other than the Hibbs et al (1991) investigation has examined links between parental psychopathology, EE and pediatric OCD, an oversight that is particularly important in light of recent research demonstrating that family history of OCD moderates treatment outcome for youth receiving CBT (Garcia et al, 2010).…”

Family-Based Interventions for Childhood Mood Disorders

“…12,13 Family relationships and parenting factors including warmth/hostility, attachment, criticism, and parents' coping are possible contributors to children's mood symptoms. 5,[13][14][15][16] High levels of criticism in parent-child relationships are associated with lower child social competence, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation. 15,16 Several psychotherapeutic interventions have been developed to address these factors.…”

Comorbid alcohol and mental health disorders: a longitudinal analysis of development to young adulthood

“…For example, children of depressed parents were more likely to show depressive symptoms where high parental expressed emotion acted as a stressor for the child (150,177). However, contrary to the evidence above about conflict, a recent analysis of data from the Minnesota Twin study suggested that life stressors outside the family (so excluding divorce) were more likely to be associated with internalising disorders at age 17 than were problematic parent relationships (178).…”