Parenting practices in middle childhood mediate the relation between growing up with a parent having bipolar disorder and offspring psychopathology from childhood into early adulthood

Abstract

The offspring of parents with bipolar disorder (OBD) are at high risk for developing mental disorders. In addition to genetic factors, environmental risk is purported to be associated with these negative outcomes. However, few studies have examined this relation. Using concurrent and longitudinal data, we examined if support, structure, and control provided by parents in middle childhood mediated the relation between having a parent with or without bipolar disorder, and offspring mental health. The sample included 145 offspring (77 OBD, 68 controls) aged 4 to 14 years and their parents. Parent and teacher ratings of child behavior were collected, and diagnostic assessments were conducted in offspring 12 years later (n = 101). Bootstrapping analyses showed that low levels of structure mediated the relation between having a parent with bipolar disorder and elevated internalizing and externalizing difficulties during middle childhood. For the longitudinal outcomes, parental control emerged as the strongest mediator of the relation between parents' bipolar disorder and offspring psychopathology. Suboptimal childrearing may have different immediate and enduring consequences on mental health outcomes in the OBD. Parental structure has robust effects on emotional and behavioral problems in middle childhood, while levels of control promote psychological adjustment in the OBD as they mature.

A comprehensive assessment of personality traits and psychosocial functioning in parents with bipolar disorder and their intimate partners

“…For all analyses, we focus on contrast analyses comparing groups across dependent variables of interest rather than multivariate omnibus tests, as the latter was not of interest in the present study (Kline 2008). From the effect size (Cohen's d = 0.51) observed in a previous study of this population (Iacono et al 2018), we estimated that the effect size was in the medium range (f 2 = .15, R 2 increment of .06 to .07). Therefore, a sample size of 92 was estimated to be sufficient to detect group differences in the aforementioned MANOVA analyses with power 0.80 and an alpha level of 0.05.…”

“…Relative to the children of families with parents having no mental disorders, the offspring in families with a parent having BD are at increased risk of developing internalizing and externalizing problems in childhood, interpersonal difficulties, risky sexual behaviors, low occupational competence, and mental disorders (Bella et al 2011;Duffy et al 2014;Nijjar et al 2014;Ostiguy et al 2009Ostiguy et al ,2012Shaw et al 2005). In addition to genetic effects (Kieseppä et al 2004;Song et al 2015), parents with BD and their partners may contribute to poor functioning and increased risk for mental disorders among their offspring by adopting suboptimal parenting practices and maladaptive behaviors, often associated with high neuroticism, that contribute to a chaotic home environment (Ellenbogen and Hodgins 2004;Iacono et al 2018). However, intimate partners of parents with BD might mitigate some of these negative effects in the home.…”

The Danish High Risk and Resilience Study—VIA 11: Study Protocol for the First Follow-Up of the VIA 7 Cohort −522 Children Born to Parents With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders or Bipolar Disorder and Controls Being Re-examined for the First Time at Age 11

“…Many interesting results have been reported from this cohort, e.g., that the impact of life events especially in the early phases of the illness may be mediated by a passive reactive coping style. Further, a study led by Iacono et al (94) has recent data on a smaller group of offspring of parents with bipolar disorder. However, all studies have much wider age ranges and smaller Ns.…”

Predicting Substance Use Patterns Among Rural Adults: The Roles of Mothers, Fathers, and Parenthood

“…Parental mental health problems are associated with adolescent substance use (Stone et al, 2012) and adult binge drinking (Timko, Sutkowi, Pavao, & Kimerling, 2008). Maladaptive parental behaviors, including inconsistent enforcement of rules, loud interparental conflict, and verbal abuse, are the most prominent psychosocial mediators explaining the association between parental mental health problems and mental health problems in their offspring (Iacono, Beaulieu, Hodgins, & Ellenbogen, 2017;Johnson, Cohen, Kasen, Smailes, & Brook, 2001;Vera, Granero, & Ezpeleta, 2012). Maladaptive parental behaviors, including inconsistent enforcement of rules, loud interparental conflict, and verbal abuse, are the most prominent psychosocial mediators explaining the association between parental mental health problems and mental health problems in their offspring (Iacono, Beaulieu, Hodgins, & Ellenbogen, 2017;Johnson, Cohen, Kasen, Smailes, & Brook, 2001;Vera, Granero, & Ezpeleta, 2012).…”

“…Adolescent children of parents with a history of mental health problems are more likely to experience an unpredictable and unstable home life, fear, loneliness, loss, and sorrow, which can increase risk for later substance use problems (Trondsen, 2012). Maladaptive parental behaviors, including inconsistent enforcement of rules, loud interparental conflict, and verbal abuse, are the most prominent psychosocial mediators explaining the association between parental mental health problems and mental health problems in their offspring (Iacono, Beaulieu, Hodgins, & Ellenbogen, 2017;Johnson, Cohen, Kasen, Smailes, & Brook, 2001;Vera, Granero, & Ezpeleta, 2012). Genetics are also instrumental.…”