Jul 16, 2007

When mothers suffer from depression, their children are more likely to develop behavioral problems — but fathers can prevent this from happening, new research suggests.

In a study that followed a large group of U.S. children over 10 years, researchers Jen Jen Chang, Carolyn Tucker Halpern and Jay S. Kaufman found that those whose mothers had depression symptoms were more likely to develop “externalizing” behavior problems, like fighting with their peers.

To read the entire article (Involved dads make up for mom’s depression, MedlinePlus, July 12, 2007), click here:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_52084.html

This article is based on research published in

Chang JJ, Halpern CT, Kaufman JS.  Maternal Depressive Symptoms, Father’s Involvement, and the Trajectories of Child Problem Behaviors in a US National Sample. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. 2007 Jul;161(7):697-703.

Some media outlets may require free user registration or a subscription. Most articles are available at the URLs provided for a limited time, usually two weeks or less.