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Emotional and Behavioral Functioning of Offspring of African American Mothers with Depression

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Abstract

Extensive research demonstrates the negative impact of maternal depression on their offspring. Unfortunately, few studies have been explored in African American families. This study examined emotional and behavioral functioning among children of African American mothers with depression. African American mothers (n = 63), with a past year diagnosis of a depressive disorder, and one of their children (ages 7–14) completed behavioral rating scales in a cross-sectional design. Results showed that 6.5 and 15% scored within the clinical range for depression and anxiety symptoms, respectively. Approximately a third of the offspring reported suicidal ideation. Based on mothers’ report, 25.4 and 20.6% of the offspring exhibited internalizing and externalizing symptoms in the clinical range, respectively. Offspring whose mothers were in treatment exhibited higher levels of self-reported anxiety symptoms. Offspring of African American mothers with depression were exhibiting socioemotional problems in ways that are similar to offspring of European American mothers with depression.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (K01 MH 068619). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute of Mental Health or the National Institutes of Health. We would like to thank Dr. Margaret Beale Spencer for her mentorship and Thananya D. Wooden and Dr. Emmie Chen for their research assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 3535 Market Street, Suite 1230, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    Rhonda C. Boyd & Guy S. Diamond

  2. University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Rhonda C. Boyd & Guy S. Diamond

  3. Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Thomas R. Ten Have

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  1. Rhonda C. Boyd
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  2. Guy S. Diamond
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  3. Thomas R. Ten Have
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Correspondence to Rhonda C. Boyd.

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T. R. Ten Have deceased.

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Boyd, R.C., Diamond, G.S. & Ten Have, T.R. Emotional and Behavioral Functioning of Offspring of African American Mothers with Depression. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 42, 594–608 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-011-0235-4

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