An Interaction of Parent and Child Factors Impacts Level of Child Depression

• In Event: Poster Session 09
  In Poster Session: PS 09 Topic - Social, Emotional, Personality

Abstract

Considerable research has investigated the mechanisms of transmission of depression from parent to child (Silberg et al., 2010), with most of the literature agreeing that both genetics and environment play a role in the process. Parental depression makes a child two to four times more likely to also exhibit depression (England et al., 2009). A large portion of the research in this area has focused on risk factors (Beardslee et al., 2011) including difficult temperament in children (Bruder-Costello et al., 2007). Less is known about how positive emotionality/surgency may influence this parent-to-child transmission model. Compas and others (2004) have theorized that positive emotionality may act as a moderator between stress and depression. In the current study, we hypothesized that positive emotionality would moderate the relationship between parental depression and child depression.

Data was drawn from an ongoing family triad study (primary caregiver and two siblings, age 4-12). Families (N=122) were largely middle class (Mincome = 60-90k). Primary caregivers (92% female), older (48% female, Mage = 9.26) and younger (48% female, Mage = 6.29) siblings were interviewed in a laboratory setting. Primary caregiver depression was measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies–Depression Scale (Cronbach’s alpha = .88; Radloff, 1997). Children’s depression was measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies–Depression Scale for Children (Cronbach’s alpha = .83; Fendrich et al., 1990). Child positive emotionality was measured via parent-report activity subscale of The School-Age Temperament Questionnaire (Cronbach’s alphas for all subscales > .80; McClowry et al., 2003) and observationally using the Balloon Bop task from the Laboratory Temperament Assessment Battery, using a mean composite of the codes for intensity of smile, vigor of enthusiasm, language, and presence of laughter, measured in 5-second intervals over a three-minute balloon hitting game (interrater-reliabilities > .70; Goldsmith et al., 2012).

Using multilevel regression models to account for sibling clustering, we tested whether positive emotionality (parent-reported or observed) moderated the relation between parent and child depression, controlling for SES and parent and child age and sex. Observed positive emotionality was not a significant predictor of child depression, nor did it moderate the modest association between parent and child depression (B = 0.21, SE of B = .09, p = .02). There was a significant moderation effect for parent-report of child positive emotionality (B=.35, SE of B=.16, p = .03). Children of parents who reported their child as being higher on positive emotionality, seemed more vulnerable to the influence of parental depression; they reported higher depression when their parents reported higher depression, and lower depression when their parents reported lower depression. Children who were rated as lower on positive emotionality did not report significantly different levels of depression across levels of parent depression.

The results indicate that parents’ perceptions of children’s temperament acted as a moderator between parent-to-child depression, when their positive emotionality was rated higher. Because this effect was only seen when looking at parental reports, further studies will explore the difference between parental ratings and observed measures of child positivity.

Authors

• Kendra Ostermeier, Illinois College
  Presenting Author

• McKenzie Motley, Illinois College
  Non-Presenting Author

• Elizabeth Rellinger Zettler, Illinois College
  Non-Presenting Author

• T. Caitlin Vasquez-O'Brien, Eastern Connecticut State University
  Non-Presenting Author