Parents Mental Health Affects Kids
August 9, 2004
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- The importance of a parent's mental health was brought to light in this month's issue of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
According to a study by Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, the father’s role is key in the well-being of children if the mother's mental health is suffering.
Researchers surveyed 822 families with children, ages 3 to 12 years, living in the same household. Some of the parents were considered to have poor mental health, including depression and anxiety disorders.
The results show a child will have behavioral problems if a mother and father are both suffering from mental illness. However, if only the mother has mental illness, the child's "at-risk" factor decreases.
Robert C. Whitaker, M.D., co-author of the study, says, "This study suggests that what happens to a child's well-being when their mothers suffer mental health problems depends on whether the father is healthy."
SOURCE: Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 2004;158:721-729
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