Observed psychopathology in offspring of parents with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia

Abstract

BackgroundChildren of parents with mood and psychotic disorders are at elevated risk for a range of behavioral and emotional problems. However, as the usual reporter of psychopathology in children is the parent, reports of early problems in children of parents with mood and psychotic disorders may be biased by the parents' own experience of mental illness and their mental state.MethodsIndependent observers rated psychopathology using the Test Observation Form in 378 children and youth between the ages of 4 and 24 (mean = 11.01, s.d. = 4.40) who had a parent with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or no history of mood and psychotic disorders.ResultsObserved attentional problems were elevated in offspring of parents with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia (effect sizes ranging between 0.31 and 0.56). Oppositional behavior and language/thought problems showed variable degrees of elevation (effect sizes 0.17 to 0.57) across the three high-risk groups, with the greatest difficulties observed in offspring of parents with bipolar disorder. Observed anxiety was increased in offspring of parents with major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder (effect sizes 0.19 and 0.25 respectively) but not in offspring of parents with schizophrenia.ConclusionsOur results suggest that externalizing problems and cognitive and language difficulties may represent a general manifestation of familial risk for mood and psychotic disorders, while anxiety may be a specific marker of liability for mood disorders. Observer assessment may improve early identification of risk and selection of youth who may benefit from targeted prevention.

Prevalence of attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder in people with mood disorders: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…21 In addition, findings from familial high-risk studies suggest ADHD and attentional problems are elevated in offspring of parents with mood disorders. 22,23 Thus, comorbidity between ADHD and mood disorders may be due to common genetic vulnerability. Second, there may be shared environmental factors which contribute to the high rate of ADHD in BD and MDD.…”

“…First, recent genome‐wide association studies have implicated shared genetic factors across ADHD, BD, and MDD 21 . In addition, findings from familial high‐risk studies suggest ADHD and attentional problems are elevated in offspring of parents with mood disorders 22,23 . Thus, comorbidity between ADHD and mood disorders may be due to common genetic vulnerability.…”

Academic achievement and schizophrenia: a systematic meta-analysis

“…One, given the small number of studies included in both at-risk meta-analyses, our results may reflect the inclusion of a study with a small sample size that utilised standardised measures of academic achievement and reported large effect sizes differences (Dickson et al, 2014). Two, children experiencing PLEs and children with a family history of schizophrenia are more likely to present with externalising and internalising psychopathology (Lancefield, Raudino, Downs, & Laurens, 2016; Laurens et al, 2020; Sandstrom et al, 2019), which in turn has been reported to be associated with academic achievement and educational attainment (Masten et al, 2005; Melkevik, Nilsen, Evensen, Reneflot, & Mykletun, 2016). Three, some evidence suggests that type of comparison group (e.g.…”

The importance of a developmental perspective in Psychiatry: what do recent genetic-epidemiological findings show?

“…Mood disorders and schizophrenia typically rise in incidence from late adolescence onwards and are rare in prepubertal children. However, longitudinal, populationbased studies as well as investigation of high-risk offspring of parents with depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia have shown that these disorders are commonly preceded by earlier mental health problems such as anxiety, irritability, or mild hypomania [17,18]. We will focus on schizophrenia where a developmental perspective has been informative.…”