Parent–Child Informant Discrepancy is Associated with Poorer Treatment Outcome

Goolsby, Julia; Rich, Brendan A.; Hinnant, Benjamin; Habayeb, Serene; Berghorst, Lisa H.; Reyes, Andres De Los; Alvord, Mary K.

doi:10.1007/s10826-017-0946-7

Cited by 42 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…Further, research has found that there may be a sizable number of children whose depressive symptoms go unnoticed by their parents [27]. Also, some research indicates that the parent-child discrepancy in the symptom score may be an important factor associated with depression course and treatment [28].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Convergent and Ecological Validity of Mother and Child Reports of Children’s Depressive Symptoms: Evidence from a Diverse Sample of Mother–Child Dyads

Mason

Margolin

Dunton

2020

Psychiatry International

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This study investigated the convergent and ecological validity of a multi-informant approach through retrospective measures and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) from mother–child dyads. In 202 mother–child dyads, mothers completed parent-proxy retrospective measures of their child’s depressive symptoms and their own depressive symptoms. Children completed self-report retrospective measures of their own depressive symptoms, self-esteem, and sleep quality; and self-report EMA of affect across 8 days. Results showed that parent-proxy and child self-report retrospective measures of depressive symptoms were weakly positively correlated (r = 0.23); this association was stronger for non-Hispanic mothers compared to Hispanic mothers (p = 0.048). Parent-proxy retrospective measures were moderately positively associated with the mothers’ own retrospectively reported level of depressive symptoms (r = 0.33). Parent-proxy and child self-report retrospective measures were negatively associated with the children’s average EMA happiness (p = 0.001 and p = 0.003, respectively), but only the children’s retrospective measures were positively associated with EMA sadness (p = 0.001). In multivariable models, the children’s retrospectively reported depressive symptoms were significantly associated with lower self-esteem and reduced sleep quality, while parent-proxy retrospective reports were only associated with the mother’s own depressive symptoms. Overall, the current study provides evidence for the convergent and ecological validity of children’s self-reports of depressive symptoms. However, there was limited validity for parent-proxy reports, and parent-proxy reports may be highly influenced by the mothers’ depression.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Convergent and Ecological Validity of Mother and Child Reports of Children’s Depressive Symptoms: Evidence from a Diverse Sample of Mother–Child Dyads

Mason

Margolin

Dunton

2020

Psychiatry International

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“…Discrepancies between informants have implications for the assessment of internalizing problems and can have serious ramifications for youth; Makol et al (2019) found that among adolescents in a psychiatric inpatient facility, divergent reports favouring parents (internalizing symptoms reported as high by parents and low by youth) resulted in youth receiving more locked door seclusion and antipsychotic medication. Discrepant reports have also been associated with poorer treatment outcomes (Goolsby et al, 2018).…”

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confidence: 99%

The role of childhood generalized anxiety in the internalizing cluster

Lee

Vaillancourt

2019

Psychol. Med.

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Background Anxiety, depression and somatization (the internalizing cluster) are highly comorbid, prevalent and associated with significant individual and societal costs. Although prior studies have examined their natural course, there has been a little investigation into how symptoms unfold at the individual level. We examined the intraindividual (within-person) temporal patterning of symptom development and the impact of risk factors (sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic indicators, bullying victimization, child maltreatment) on symptom means and trajectories (between-person), comparing youth and parent reports. Method Over a 7-year interval from age 11 to 17, children (n = 669; 54% girls; 79% White) and parents (89% mothers) reported on symptoms of anxiety and depression from age 11 and somatization from age 13. Autoregressive latent trajectory models with structured residuals were used to uncouple within- and between-person sources of variance. Results According to self-reports, generalized anxiety consistently predicted depression, while anxiety and depression consistently predicted somatization. Anxiety also had an indirect effect on somatization via depression. According to parent reports, there were several bidirectional effects between anxiety and depression and between depression and somatization. Experiences of abuse were consistent risk factors for self-reported internalizing symptoms, and across informants, girls had higher symptom means and rising trajectories compared to boys. Conclusion Generalized anxiety plays an important role in adolescent depressive and somatic symptoms. Primary prevention of anxiety may be warranted to curb symptom continuity and the development of comorbidity. Research is needed to determine whether self-reports of anxiety should be prioritized over parent reports and continued efforts are needed to reduce bullying and child maltreatment.

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“…It would also allow us to test whether having both types of discrepancies, network and mean-level, relate to even worse outcomes than having only one type of discrepancy. Discrepancies across informants at the sum score level predict less favorable emotional, functional, and behavioral youth outcomes (Ferdinand et al, 2004;Guion et al, 2009) and poorer response to mental health treatment (Ferdinand, van der Ende, & Verhulst, 2006;Goolsby et al, 2018). Present results suggest another type of discrepancy (i.e.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

“…Agreement across youths' and caregivers' reports of youths mental health problems is moderate at best (Birmaher, Brent, & Issues, 2007;De Los Reyes & Kazdin, 2005) and agreement is especially low for youths' depression compared to anxiety and externalizing problems (Angold et al, 1987;Cantwell, Lewinsohn, Rohde, & Seeley, 1997;De Los Reyes & Kazdin, 2005;Youngstrom, Loeber, & Stouthamer-Loeber, 2000). Cross-informant discrepancies between a youth and caregiver predict poor outcomes (Ferdinand, van der Ende, & Verhulst, 2004;Goolsby et al, 2018;Guion, Mrug, & Windle, 2009).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Network Analysis to Compare Caregiver and Youth Reports of Youths’ Depressive Symptoms

Mc¹,

Jl²,

Pj³

et al. 2018

Preprint

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Objective: Multi-informant assessment is the gold standard for youth depressive symptoms, and discrepancies in symptom reports across caregivers and youths can predict important clinical outcomes. However, discrepancies are typically only evaluated by comparing the means of sum scores across informants. We took a broader approach that involved: 1) evaluating discrepancies at the symptom level and 2) using mean-level and network structure comparisons. Method: Participants were clinically referred youths and their primary caregiver (N = 298 youth- caregiver pairings) ages 7-14. The sample was racially (52.68% Non-Caucasian) and socioeconomically (54.02% family income < $40,000 per year) diverse. We compared whether youths and caregivers differed significantly on their means for each depressive symptom. We then conducted a Network Comparison Test to gauge the extent to which youths and caregivers differed in the associations between pairs of symptoms. Results: Youths and their caregivers differed at the mean level on 12/21 symptoms, with caregivers reporting higher levels on all 12. However, youth-caregiver differences were found on only 3 of the 119 associations between pairs of symptoms (i.e., “edges”). Perfectionism – feels unloved was more strongly associated in the youth network, while won’t talk – secretive and rather be alone – uninvolved were more strongly associated in the caregiver network. Conclusions: A symptom-level, multi-method approach to caregiver and youth discrepancies revealed that our understanding of discrepancies might depend on the type of analysis we use (mean-level vs. network structure). Integrating the mean-level and network approaches may produce a richer, more clinically useful understanding of symptom-level cross-informant discrepancies.

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Parent–Child Informant Discrepancy is Associated with Poorer Treatment Outcome

Cited by 42 publications

References 61 publications

Convergent and Ecological Validity of Mother and Child Reports of Children’s Depressive Symptoms: Evidence from a Diverse Sample of Mother–Child Dyads

Convergent and Ecological Validity of Mother and Child Reports of Children’s Depressive Symptoms: Evidence from a Diverse Sample of Mother–Child Dyads

The role of childhood generalized anxiety in the internalizing cluster

Using Network Analysis to Compare Caregiver and Youth Reports of Youths’ Depressive Symptoms

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