Maternal depression and anxiety predicts the pattern of offspring symptoms during their transition to adulthood

Abstract

BackgroundEpisodes of depression and anxiety (D&A) during the transition from late adolescence to adulthood, particularly when persistent, are predictive of long-term disorders and associated public health burden. Understanding risk factors at this time is important to guide intervention. The current objective was to investigate the associations between maternal symptoms of D&A with offspring symptoms during their transition to adulthood.MethodData from a large population-based birth cohort study, in South Brazil, were used. Prospective associations between maternal D&A and offspring risk of these symptoms during the transition to adulthood (18/19, 24 and 30 years) were estimated.ResultsMaternal D&A in adolescence was associated with offspring symptoms across the transition to adulthood, associations were consistently stronger for females than for males. Daughters whose mothers reported D&A were 4.6 times (95% confidence interval 2.71–7.84) as likely to report D&A at all three time-points, than daughters of symptom-free mothers.ConclusionsMaternal D&A is associated with persistent D&A during the daughter's transition to adulthood. Intervention strategies should consider the mother's mental health.

Maternal Depression Increases Childhood Dental Caries: A Cohort Study in Brazil

“…It is known that maternal well-being is important for child development, especially in children younger than 3 years who are vulnerable and dependent on their mothers for care, nutrition and stimulation [Singla et al, 2015]. Also, depressed mothers could produce a marked effect on their children concerning depression in childhood and adolescence, negatively impacting chronic disease development [Gonçalves et al, 2016]. A possible explanation for the higher caries prevalence observed in children from depressed mothers free of caries, when compared to children from caries-free mothers but without depression symptoms, could be related to the fact that depression is a disease where the individuals are focused on their own feelings and thoughts, leaving the other in the background [Coelho et al, 2014].…”

“…Parents, especially mothers, are widely acknowledged to play a pivotal role in the establishment of oral health-promoting behaviors that prevent the development of childhood dental caries [Hooley et al, 2012]. Maternal depression and anxiety are related to their children's depression episodes during childhood and adolescence, especially in females, and the persistent symptoms are predictive of long-term disorders [Gonçalves et al, 2016]. Parental psychosocial factors that have been shown to negatively affect child oral health include maternal depression, low sense of coherence, indulgent parenting, and parental stress [LaValle et al, 2000;Quiño-nez et al, 2001;Bonanato et al, 2009;Seow et al, 2009].…”

Do maternal depression and anxiety influence children's oral health‐related quality of life?

“…Maternal psychological conditions clearly have an influence in whole life of children and attitudes in relation to care and the context that mothers are living have been closely associated to children's oral health . Previous studies have shown that psychological condition, such as depression, can result in inadequate oral health care, and a relationship between maternal depression and anxiety and children's oral health was also found .…”

Influence of maternal psychological traits on sleep bruxism in children

“…The mother's depression can negatively affect the establishment of the first interactions with the child. Also, maternal depression can produce a market effect on their children depression in childhood and adolescence, negatively impacting in chronic disease development. Considering that maternal depression could have long‐term detrimental effects on the offspring mental health and that psychological disorders are associated with SB in children, it is possible to assume that preschoolchildren from mothers presenting depression could also develop emotional defense mechanisms, allowing for the onset of parafunctional habits such as teeth grinding and clenching.…”