Abstract Background Maternal depression is known to be a risk for abnormal child development. Girls and boys have been found to respond differently to maternal depression. Although prenatal and ...postnatal depression has been widely studied, longitudinal studies of adolescent outcome are still rare. Methods The original sample of 349 mothers in this longitudinal study was collected in 1989–1990 in Tampere, Finland. At the latest stage, of the 327 contacted in 2006, 191 mothers and 192 adolescents aged 16 to 17 years participated in the study. Maternal depressive symptoms were screened using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) prenatally, postnatally and at the latest stage. Adolescent outcome was examined using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Youth Self Report (YSR). Results Maternal concurrent depressive symptoms were associated with adolescent behavioral and emotional problems in both genders. Maternal prenatal depressive symptoms were associated with Externalizing Problems in the YSR and boys' lower Social Competence in both the CBCL and YSR. Maternal postnatal depressive symptoms were associated with boys' lower Social Competence both in the CBCL and YSR and Externalizing Problems in the YSR. Limitations Being a longitudinal normal population sample, the number of symptomatic mothers and adolescents is relatively small and the number of drop-outs is relatively high. Clinical evaluation of mothers and adolescents is also lacking. Conclusions Maternal prenatal and postnatal depressive symptoms are a risk to adolescent boys' wellbeing and concurrent depressive symptoms a risk for both girls' and boys' well-being. This long-term influence should be noted when treating women with depressive symptoms throughout motherhood.
To investigate whether prenatal, postnatal, and/or current maternal depressive symptoms are associated with low level of psychosocial functioning or high level of emotional/behavioral problems in ...school-age children.
As part of a prospective longitudinal study, maternal depressive symptoms were screened with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale prenatally, postnatally, and when the children were 8 to 9 years old. The original sample of 349 mothers was collected in 1989-1990 in Tampere, Finland. Of the 270 mother-child pairs at the latest stage of the study in 1997-1998, 188 mother-child pairs participated and 147 were included. The associations between maternal depressive symptoms at different points in time and the level of children's psychosocial functioning and problems reported on the Child Behavior Checklist and Teacher's Report Form were examined.
Children's low social competence and low adaptive functioning were associated with concurrent maternal depressive symptoms. Maternal postnatal depressive symptoms predicted low social competence. The presence of prenatal depressive symptoms in the mother was a strong predictor of child's high externalizing and total problem levels (odds ratio 3.1, 95% confidence interval 1.1-8.9 and odds ratio 8.5, 95% confidence interval 2.7-26.5). Prenatal as well as recurrent maternal depressive symptoms were associated with the least favorable child outcome.
Maternal depressive symptomatology at any time, especially prenatally, is a risk factor for the child's well-being. This should be noted already in prenatal care. The timing and the recurrence of maternal depressive symptoms affect the outcome for the child.
Background: Sexual and physical abuse have been associated with long-term systemic alterations such as low-grade inflammation and changes in brain morphology that may be reflected in the metabolome. ...However, data on the metabolic consequences of sexual and physical abuse remain scarce.
Objective: This pilot study sought to investigate changes in the metabolite profile related to sexual and physical abuse in depressed adolescent psychiatric outpatients.
Method: The study included 76 patients aged 14-18 years, whose serum samples were analysed with a targeted metabolite profiling methodology. We estimated the associations between metabolite concentrations and the Trauma and Distress Scale (TADS) Sexual and Physical Abuse factor scores using three linear regression models (one unadjusted and two adjusted) per metabolite and trauma type pair. Additional variables in the two adjusted models were 1) the lifestyle indicators body mass index, tobacco use, and alcohol use, and 2) depression scores and the chronicity of depression.
Results: TADS Sexual Abuse scores associated positively with homogentisic acid, as well as cystathionine, and negatively with choline in linear regression analysis, whereas TADS Physical Abuse scores associated negatively with AMP, choline, γ-glutamyl cysteine and succinate, and positively with D-glucuronic acid.
Conclusions: This pilot study did not include a healthy control group for comparison and the cohort was relatively small. Nevertheless, we observed alterations in metabolites related to one-carbon metabolism, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammation in depressed patients with a history of sexual or physical abuse.
Metabolomic profiles associate with sexual or physical abuse.
Metabolites relate to mitochondria, one-carbon, oxidative stress, and inflammation.
Metabolomics a possible tool for precision psychiatry in the future.
•Targeted metabolomics was used to compare episodic MDD and chronic depression.•One-carbon metabolism differed between episodic MDD and chronic depression.•Differences in energy metabolism between ...episodic MDD and chronic depression.
While considered less severe than major depressive disorder (MDD), chronic depression has a devastating effect on people's lives. Metabolic alterations related to chronicity are still widely unknown. We investigated metabolic alterations in patients with depression and compared the episodic and chronic forms.
The study participants comprised 76 adolescent outpatients (33 MDD, 43 chronic depression). Patients’ serum samples were analyzed with targeted metabolite analysis, yielding results for 102 metabolites associated, for example, with amino acid, energy, lipid, and one-carbon metabolism.
After controlling for background factors, the chronic depression group had higher levels of choline (Cohen's d = 0.52 and unadjusted 95% confidence interval 0.05, 0.98), glutamine (d = 0.42 -0.04, 0.88), glycine (d = 0.41 -0.04, 0.87), glycine betaine (d = 0.48 0.02, 0.94), guanidinoacetic acid (d = 0.23 -0.23, 0.68), octanoylcarnitine (d = 0.60 0.13, 1.06), phosphoethanolamine (d = 0.34 -0.12, 0.79) and succinate (d = 0.61 0.14, 1.07), and lower levels of glutamate (d = -0.66 -1.12, -0.18) when compared to the MDD group, although these differences did not remain after correction for multiple testing.
The sample size was small for targeted metabolomic analysis, and the study did not include a healthy control group.
These preliminary results indicate putative differences in one-carbon metabolism and energy metabolism between chronic depression and MDD, possibly due to long-term chronic stress. Metabolic profiles appear to have the potential firstly to identify and distinguish different types of depression, and secondly to help in personalizing treatments in the future.
This study aims to describe maternal depressive symptoms (MDS) trajectories in a longitudinal study extending from pregnancy to 27 years after the birth of the firstborn child. We also explored the ...associations of both MDS trajectories and child internalizing and externalizing problem trajectories with maternal adjustment (adaptive functioning, emotional and behavioral problems).
The population-based study was conducted in Tampere, Finland, and the sample comprised 356 first-time mothers. MDS were screened with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale during pregnancy, first week after delivery, 2 and 6 months postnatally, and when the child was 4–5, 8–9, 16–17, and 26–27 years of age. The internalizing and externalizing problems of the children were assessed with the Child Behavior Checklist when the child was 4–5, 8–9, and 16–17 years of age. Maternal adaptive functioning and internalizing and externalizing problems were assessed with the Adult Self Report at 26–27 years after the birth of the first child. Complete follow-up data were available for 168 mothers.
We describe a three-group trajectory model of MDS (High Stable, Low Stable, Very Low). Elevated depressive symptom patterns were associated with less optimal maternal outcomes regarding both adaptive and problem dimensions. The child's internalizing and externalizing problem trajectories were associated with maternal internalizing and externalizing problems but not with maternal adaptive functioning.
Maternal and child measures were based on maternal reports only.
The interconnectedness of the well-being of the mother and child should be noted in health and mental health services for adults and children.
•We present maternal depressive symptom trajectories over 27 years (1989–2017)•The maternal symptom trajectories were Very Low, Low Stable and High Stable•Low Stable trajectory predicted the best and High Stable the least optimal outcome•Child's problems predicted mother's problems but not her adaptive functioning
Loneliness has potentially adverse effects on health and is often connected with depression, while maternal depression has been shown to have a harmful effect on many indicators of children's ...socioemotional outcomes. The prevalence of loneliness among first-time mothers and its associations with depressive symptoms, background factors, and child outcomes in middle childhood and adolescence were investigated in this longitudinal study. A sample of 122 mother-child dyads was collected from maternal health clinics in Tampere, Finland. The mothers reported their feelings of loneliness at three time points: during pregnancy and when their firstborn child was 8-9 and 16-17 years old. Maternal depressive symptoms were screened using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at the same time points. The children's internalizing and externalizing problems were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Youth Self Report (YSR) questionnaires. Some 34-38% of the mothers reported loneliness at the different study points. Maternal loneliness showed associations with dissatisfaction with life and the pair relationship, and with the presence of depressive symptoms. The mother's prenatal loneliness predicted the child's internalizing problems in adolescence. Interventions aimed at relieving loneliness should be provided for mothers at all stages of motherhood.
Abstract Background Depressive symptoms, often long-term or recurrent, are common among mothers of young children and a well-known risk for child well-being. We aimed to explore the antecedents of ...the long-term trajectories of maternal depressive symptoms and to define the antenatal factors predicting the high-symptom trajectories. Methods The sample comprised 329 mothers from maternity centers. Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) antenatally and at two months, six months, 4–5 years, 8–9 years and 16–17 years after delivery. Maternal expectations concerning the baby were assessed with the Neonatal Perception Inventory (NPI). Background information was gathered with questionnaires. Results A model including four symptom trajectories (very low, low-stable, high-stable and intermittent) was selected to describe the symptom patterns over time. The high-stable and the intermittent trajectory were both predicted pairwise by a high antenatal EPDS sum score as well as high EPDS anxiety and depression subscores but the other predictors were specific for each trajectory. In multivariate analyses, the high-stable trajectory was predicted by a high antenatal EPDS sum score, a high EPDS anxiety subscore, diminished life satisfaction, loneliness and more negative expectations of babies on average. The intermittent trajectory was predicted by a high antenatal EPDS sum score, a poor relationship with own mother and urgent desire to conceive. Limitations Only self-report questionnaires were used. The sample size was rather small. Conclusions The results suggest a heterogeneous course and background of maternal depressive symptoms. This should be considered in intervention planning.
Abstract
Background: The negative effect of maternal depressive symptoms on child wellbeing has been quite extensively studied. There is, however, debate as to whether it is the timing, the ...recurrence or the chronicity of maternal depressive symptoms that puts the child's wellbeing at risk. Aims: This study explores the associations between the timing, recurrence and the patterns of maternal depressive symptoms and adolescent psychosocial functioning. Methods: One hundred and ninety-one mothers and 192 adolescents were followed up from the mother's pregnancy to the child's adolescence. Maternal depressive symptoms were screened with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale prenatally, postnatally, in early and middle childhood, and at adolescence. The adolescents' outcomes were screened using Child Behavior Checklists and Youth Self Reports. Results: The results indicate that the initial exposure to maternal depressive symptoms at pregnancy is associated with more externalizing problems in adolescence, 2 months postnatally with more internalizing problems, in early childhood with poorer social competence and concurrently with more externalizing problems. Combined analyses indicate that recurrent maternal depressive symptoms best explain adolescents' internalizing problems and the chronic pattern of maternal depressive symptoms externalizing problems. The chronic and intermittent patterns of maternal depressive symptoms best explained adolescents' poorer social competence. Conclusions: Recurrent or chronic maternal depressive symptoms rather than the timing predict adolescents' psychosocial problems better. The timing, however, may explain the different kinds of problems in adolescence depending on the developmental task at the time of the exposure. The findings should be noted when treating both mothers and children in psychiatric clinics and other health services.
This study examined child and parental factors in infancy and toddlerhood predicting subclinical or clinical levels of internalizing and externalizing problems at 5 years of age. Ninety-six children ...and their families participated. They were assessed when the children were 4–10 weeks old (T1), 2 years (T2) and 5 years old (T3). Child risks (difficult temperament, health problems, early emotional and behavioral problems), parental risks (psychopathology, parenting stress and perception of the child) and family risks (socio-economic status, quality of marital relationship and family violence) were examined. At 5 years, internalizing problems were predicted by family violence during the child’s infancy and parenting stress at age 2. Externalizing problems were predicted by psychiatric problems of the mother before pregnancy and child’s externalizing problems at 2 years of age. When interventions aiming at preventing emotional and behavioral problems in children are considered, these issues should be recognized early and effective intervention initiated.
Social competence is one of the primary components of mental health development. This study examines the associations between adolescent competence and its components, and adulthood adaptive ...functioning and internalizing and externalizing problems.
As part of a longitudinal study that begun in Finland in 1989, 191 mothers, 126 fathers and their 192 16–17-year-old adolescent children completed a standardized questionnaire, the Child Behavior Checklist or the Youth Self Report, to analyse the adolescents’ total competence and its subscales (activity, social skills and school performance). Ten years later, the former adolescents completed the corresponding Adult Self Report questionnaire to assess adaptive functioning as well as internalizing and externalizing symptoms.
Better total competence or social skills in adolescence were associated with a good level of adaptive functioning and a low level of internalizing symptoms in young adulthood. Better scores in school performance subscale according to the parents’ reports were associated with a low level of externalizing symptoms in young adulthood. Together with total competence and social skills, concurrent partner relationship status was associated with optimal outcomes.
This study supports earlier findings that better social competence in adolescence is associated with fewer internalizing problems in young adulthood, and indicates a longitudinal association between adolescent competence and adult adaptive functioning. It is important to study whether interventions supporting adolescents’ competence could promote mental health in their subsequent development into young adulthood.
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