Children of Depressed Parents

1. Children of Depressed Parents Introduction The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects on a child growing up in a household with depressed parents. What emotional and psychological effects can occur when being raised by an emotionally unstable adult? Rachel Ann Lusheck, Middle Education, University of Cincinnati Causal Factors What is Depression? Medical News Today defines depression as a constant feeling of sadness and lack of interest. It affects how the person feels, behaves, and thinks (2009). There are many different forms of depression based on what triggers the illness, and the intensity of it. There are many symptoms that go along with depression, but there has been some debate on which symptoms are more correlated. A study of 131 patients diagnosed with depression was conducted to find out which symptoms are more highly correlated. They found that syndromes of anxiousness, self-blame, depressive moods, functional impairment, and somatic symptoms were found to define depression. Patients were found to be extremely anxious, and often blamed themselves for how they were feeling. Guilt and shame often occurred with these symptoms. When a patient experienced functional impairment they felt unable to work, get started with their day, make easy decisions, and had a very hard time concentrating. Their ability to go on with normal day to day activities became difficult. Patients also experienced a loss of weight, appetite, and interest in sexual activity when experiencing somatic symptoms. This became harmful to their physical health. Lastly, depressive moods were defined as sadness, loss of hope, suicidal thoughts, and a loss of interest in other people (Lorr, Son, Katz 1976). • Parent-Child Relationship Factors • Disengaged behavior • Experience neglect • Parents are easily frustrated with children • Parents do not want to be bothered with normal needs of their children. • Stress Factors • Child can be exposed to highly stressful environments • Dealing with trauma caused by marital distress • Can all trigger depression • Biological Factors • Heritable Traits: temperament, expression of negative emotion, shyness and inhibition, and emotional regulation. • Maladaptive neurobiological processes can occur when exposed to the conditions that come along with having a depressed parent. (Hammen 2009) Outcomes • Vulnerability to Depression • Growing up, children tend to pick up the mannerisms and actions of their parents because it is what they learn through observation. Like they always say, “Like mother, like daughter or like father, like son.” Because of this, if a parent is depressed while raising a child, it is likely that the child will adopt some of the symptoms and actions that come with depression. Some of these things are… • Moodiness • Hostility towards others • Late Response • Low motivation • Speaking less • Low compassion towards others • Shyness • Also, because of the biological factors above, children with depressed parents are three times for susceptible to depression than children growing up in a house hold where depression is not an issue. • Varied Levels of Psychological Functioning • Based on the severity level of the situation and the self control of both the parents and the children, children will experience varied outcomes in different aspects of their life. • Socially • Lack of ability to participate in social situations • Difficulty making and keeping friends • Loss of interested in participating in social events • Emotionally • Mood swings/irritability • Thoughts of suicide • Feelings of hopelessness, loneliness, and guilt • Low self confidence • Academically • Loss of interest in school • Difficulties paying attention and completing tasks • Falling behind/failing courses • Clinical Disorders • Children may adopt a clinical disorder of their own due to the physical and emotional stress of having a parent suffer from severe depression. Disorders may include.. • Anxiety/Depression Disorders • Can range from moderate to severe • Causes one to live in constant worry and sadness • Can lead to suicide • Substance Abuse/ Addiction • One may become addicted to drugs, alcohol, or self-harm • Can lead to physical illness such as organ failure, anemia, withdrawal and can even lead to death. • Disorganized-Insecure Attachment • Occurs in infants when neglected emotionally and physically by parents. • Can cause avoidant and resistant behaviors • Eating disorders • Low self esteem caused by depression can lead to eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. • Can lead to other physical illnesses and even death. Methods While observing at an elementary school in Cincinnati, I started to become curious as to why some children act out or completely retreat to themselves. After hours of observing different students and their behaviors I began to do research on why children strayed from what seemed to be “normal”. I found an article on how children of depressed parents can often times become depressed themselves, and this led to further curiosities. The rest of my study was based on research from past studies to figure out the outcomes of children with depressed parents. Interesting Statistics “78% of offspring of depressed parents were diagnosed with major depression, substance abuse, or anxiety disorders by the time they were 20” (Hammen 2009). After a 20 year study, it was found that children with depressed parents were three times more likely to adapt depression, anxiety, or social problems than children growing up in a household with out depressed parents (Hammen 2009). Almost twenty percent of the population meet the criteria for some form of depression, that is ever 5th person you pass on the street (O’Connor 2006). How can this help me in my profession? In hopes of becoming a middle school English teacher, I need to be aware of all of the outside factors that may contribute to a child’s success, or lack of, in the classroom. The more you know about a student, the more capable you will be of guiding that student down a path that will be most successful for them. If I begin to notice that a parent is not their as a supporter of the child, I not only need to try and be that support for them, but I also need to be cautious of what emotional, social, and physical effects it will have on the child. Through my research, I learned just how much impact a parent’s feelings and actions has on their children. It will also help me to keep an eye our for signs of depression so that I am able to recognize when a child may need further assistance with their problem. (Downey, Coyne 1990) Works Cited Downey, G., & Coyne, J. (1990). Children of Depressed Parents: An Integrative Review. Psychological Bulletin, 108, 50-76. Retrieved from http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/bul/108/1/50.pdf Hammen, C. L. (2009). Handbook of Depression. (Second ed., pp. 275-293). New York, NY: Guilford Publications Inc. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=e82_MG5EsHIC&oi=fnd&pg=PA275&dq=children+of+depressed +parents&ots=c_Rb7Dxuux&si g=zLRL9UXtz40LK-BKhCzxGekqkt8#v=onepage&q&f=true Lorr, M., Sonn, T., & Katz, M. (1976). Toward a definition of depression. Arch gen psychiat, 17, 183-186. Medical News Today. (2009, April 07). What is depression? What causes depression?. Retrieved from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/ articles/8933.php O' Connor, R. (2006). Depressed Parents and the Effects on Their Children. Psych Central. Retrieved on November 20, 2013, from http:// psychcentral.com/lib/depressed-parents-and-the-effects-on-their-children/000464