NCJ Number
112043
Journal
Journal of Clinical Child Psychology Volume: 16 Issue: 1 Dated: (1987) Pages: 43-50
Date Published
1987
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Fifty children of patients with major affective disorders were compared with 50 control children: structured diagnostic interviews revealed parental abuse was predictive of various psychopathologies in both the children whose parents had affective disorders and the control children.
Abstract
It appears that parental abuse rather than parental diagnostic label may be the crucial factor in predicting psychopathology among children. Other findings include: (1) a significant relationship between a child's expression of fear of future abuse and a diagnosis of depression for that child, (2) reported abuse seemed to be an independent predictor of depression in children, and (3) male offspring of parents with affective disorders seemed to have more trouble with peer relationships than did female offspring. Future research should concentrate on clarifying the relationship between abuse and childhood psychopathology. 5 tables and 29 references. (Author abstract modified)