Connection between depression in fathers and their daughters

What are the effects of depression in fathers on their children?

How does it affect the children if their fathers suffer from depression? Researchers found out now that girls have at a later age are at increased risk for psychological problems when her father suffered after birth and depressive feelings.

The scientists from the Imperial College London and the University of Oxford, found in their current study that depression of fathers after the birth have an influence on the risk for the development of depression in their daughters in later life. The doctors published the results of their study in the English journal “JAMA Psychiatry”.

The increased risk applied only to the daughters

For their study, the experts examined a total of 3,176 British families. The data were derived from the so-called Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. They found that one out of twenty fathers in the weeks after the birth of her child suffered a Depression. The researchers found a connection between men with the disorder, and daughters, suffering in the age of 18 years of depression. The slight but significantly increased risk was only for the daughters – The sons were not affected, according to the study of the effects.

Why are girls more affected than boys?

It is still unclear why girls at this age are more affected than boys. This could, however, with certain aspects of the father-daughter relationships, while girls make up the adolescence, speculate the experts. The results of the current investigation could have an impact on perinatal services, which have traditionally concentrated on the detection and treatment of postnatal depression in mothers. Fathers can suffer in the post-Natal period, as well as maternal depression, the experts explain. In the study, for the first time young people from birth could be up to the age of 18 years medically monitored. The Participants were also asked about their own experiences with depression. It was found that young people whose fathers were when they were born depressed, and showed at the age of 18 years of age have an increased risk of Depression.

People with Depression must be helped

The Team also looked at some ways that depression in fathers, children can relate to. It seems that depression among fathers with an increased level of stress in the whole family. This could be a possibility, how this depression have an impact on the Offspring. It is fathers and mothers is important to help with depression in a timely manner in an appropriate way, say the doctors.

Paternal Depression can lead to problems in family life

Fathers often suffer in silence, this family members are often unaware of their mental health problems. People interviewed also mostly according to your Parenting rarely to your mental health, say the doctors. Of previous research, the scientists found that the post – Natal Depression in fathers at the age of three and a half and seven years with behavioral and emotional problems in their offspring. Paternal Depression may also lead to conflicts between the partners, and even to the emergence of maternal depression to be involved. (as)