VeryWell Mind: Depression in Father and Child Are Linked Regardless of Genetic Relation
"The classic nature vs. nurture debate in psychology centers on whether certain behavioral traits and psychopathologies are genetic (nature) or learned (nurture). Do we inherit our personalities and preferences biologically or do we adopt them based on our environment and experiences?
It's an age old argument but today, most experts agree that it's not either/or, but both.
The Research
Researchers from Penn State and Michigan State Universities evaluated 720 families of varying natural genetic relatedness. The families were participating in the Nonshared Environment in Adolescent Development (NEAD) study and 58.5% of these families included a stepparent—almost always a stepfather.
Parents and children completed questionnaires pertaining to depression symptoms, psychopathology symptoms, and parent-child conflict. Researchers then examined the association between parental depression and childhood psychopathology and compared biological to step relationships.
The results showed that paternal depression was consistently associated with child psychopathology and behavior problems, such as antisocial tendencies or attention difficulties, regardless of whether the two were biologically related.
Nature vs. Nurture
So, genetics and environment both play a role in the mental outcomes for a child. With more than two decades of experience, marriage and family therapist Eden Garcia-Balis, LMFT, has seen this play out in some of the children and families she's treated.
"In some cases, pathology appears to be genetic, in others, environmental—and yet most seem to be impacted by both," Garcia-Balis says.
Neuroscience and brain disorder expert Emil Tsai, MD, PhD, chief scientist and founding CEO of SyneuRx, agrees that environmental and biological factors can play off of one another.
"A relatable example would be the converging evidence that shows a child’s development is adversely affected by stress, particularly during sensitive periods and stages of brain development," Tsai says.
Recognizing Childhood Depression
As the study also suggests, environmental changes can, to some extent, be made to prevent a child from experiencing the same mental struggles as a parent.
"Parents can try to reduce parent-child conflict by working on managing their own emotions, giving their children choices whenever possible, and empathizing with their child's perspective even if they do not agree with it," Goodwin says.
If parents do notice their child is struggling with mental health issues, Garcia-Balis notes that the interventions that work for adults may not work for children.
With the number of children and teens experiencing depression on the rise, it's best to take preventive measures if you're concerned this could be an issue.
"Better nutrition, cognitively stimulating experience and, above all, good parenting can contribute to a positive health trajectory in your child’s life," Tsai says.
He adds that the path to good mental health is different for everyone. So, it's always a smart decision to connect with a psychiatrist who can evaluate the situation and determine the next steps of your, or your child's, mental health journey."
Read the full article here!
Reflection:
What are your thoughts?
*It's quite interesting to know that depression could have a multi-factorial basis of inheritance*
#Depression #Childhood #Father #MentalHealth
@comfortableNight4463 Loved reading this.
Thanks for posting this.
@Happy900 You're most welcome! Thanks for reading.
