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Depression following marital problems: different impacts on mothers and their children? A 21-year prospective study

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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

With increased rates of marital breakdown it is important to identify the long-term mental health outcomes of marital problems and marital change for mothers and their children. Of particular interest is the possibility that mothers may benefit from leaving a relationship, but their children may not. This study examines the effects of marital quality and marital change on symptoms of depression in mothers and their children over 21 years.

Method

Data (3,512 mothers and 3,334 children) were from Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP), a population-based birth cohort study, which commenced in Brisbane, Australia, in 1981. Mothers and children were followed up at birth, 6 months and 5, 14 and 21 years after the initial interview. Marital status and marital quality were assessed at 5 and 14 years. Symptoms of depression were assessed in mothers and children at the 21-year follow-up.

Results

A poor-quality marital relationship at the 14-year follow-up was associated with increased symptoms of depression in both mothers (+3.3 symptoms) and children (+1.1 symptoms) 7 years later. Symptoms of depression in the mother improved if she changed to unpartnered status (−1.31 symptoms); however, children experienced an increase in depression (+1.30 symptoms). There was a substantial increase in mothers’ depression (+3.9 symptoms) associated with a poor reconstructed relationship but no change for children (0.68).

Conclusion

Marital transitions may improve symptoms of depression in the mothers but not in their children. Clinical decisions for families living in some difficult marital relationships need to take into account the association between maternal and child mental health particularly evidence from clinical samples that remission of depression in the mother improves outcomes for the child.

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Acknowledgment

We thank all participants in the study, the MUSP data collection team, and Greg Shuttlewood, University of Queensland, who has helped to manage the data for the MUSP. We also thank Rosemary Aird and her colleagues for Phase 7 (21-year) data collection. This work was funded by a grant from the Australian Research Council and carried out at the University of Queensland. Over time the study has been funded primarily by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). AC is funded by an NHMRC Capacity Building Grant (#252834), but the views expressed in the paper are those of the authors and not necessarily those of any funding body.

Conflict of interest statement

None of the authors of the present manuscript have conflict of interest of financial relationship to declare.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Pharmacy, PACE, University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4103, Australia

    Alexandra Clavarino

  2. School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Herston, QLD, Australia

    Mohammad R. Hayatbakhsh, Gail M. Williams & Jackob M. Najman

  3. Mater Children’s Hospital, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    William Bor & Michael O’Callaghan

  4. School of Psychiatry, University of Queensland, Herston, QLD, Australia

    William Bor

  5. School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Herston, QLD, Australia

    Michael O’Callaghan

  6. School of Social Science, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia

    Jackob M. Najman

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  1. Alexandra Clavarino
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  2. Mohammad R. Hayatbakhsh
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  3. Gail M. Williams
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  4. William Bor
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Correspondence to Alexandra Clavarino.

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Clavarino, A., Hayatbakhsh, M.R., Williams, G.M. et al. Depression following marital problems: different impacts on mothers and their children? A 21-year prospective study. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 46, 833–841 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-010-0253-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-010-0253-8

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