A study by researchers at Columbia University in New York City reported that bad parenting may put children at a higher risk for anxiety and depression. The investigators interviewed nearly 600 parents and their children, and results showed that poor parental behaviors-like verbal abuse, inconsistent rules, parental arguments in front of children, and a lack of supervision-can all increase the chances of childhood anxiety or depression.
Surprisingly, studies show that up to 2.5 percent of young children and 8.3 percent of adolescents in the United States suffer from depression. Child psychiatrist Dr. Peter Jensen looks more closely at some of the symptoms and treatments for this difficult condition.
Are there certain types of children who are more prone to depression?
We think that family history is important, so genetic factors probably play a role. But there are other factors that are also suspect. Prolonged medical illnesses might serve as a precipitant, or stress factors occurring throughout a substantial period of one's life. Some people have demonstrated that the loss of significant loved ones in early critical periods-In the first five years of life-might lead to a modest increased risk for depression. Another that is also linked to depression is substance use. Prolonged substance use is probably linked to depression as well.
Do you mean substance use by the child or by the mother during pregnancy?
Both.
Copyright 2009 NBC Health
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