Family & Genetic Factors of Depression in Children
The relationship between genetics and family factors of depression in children is complicated, but research indicates there is a connection. Many genetic and environmental factors involving childhood depression often go hand in hand. Knowing the potential causes and risks that often lead to depression can help you look for warning signs and find ways to prevent it.
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Marital Problems
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Marital tension and conflict in families often triggers emotional problems in children that can lead to depression. Children from homes with fathers who are unhappy in their marriages are more likely to suffer from depressive symptoms, according to the Great Ideas in Personality website. The problems between the parents can often make the child feel insecure and lead him to believe he is responsible for it. These feelings of stress and anxiety can often contribute to depression. Divorce can also trigger depression in children because of the sudden loss of a parent at home or because the child feels that he is responsible for the split.
Depressed Parents
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Children of depressed parents often suffer from depression themselves mostly because depressed parents are overwhelmed with their depression and tend to withdraw from their child. The withdrawal from the parent can lead to depression in the child while he is still a young or even later on when he becomes an adult. Sometimes depressed parents can also become overbearing and intrusive parents who yell at their children and cause stress and anxiety in the home. These stress factors and unstable home environment can contribute greatly to depression in children.
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Abuse and Domestic Violence
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Children who experience neglect or abuse often develop symptoms of depression. According to the Child Welfare website, children who suffered emotional or physical neglect displayed depression symptoms as young as 3 years old. Physical damage to a child's brain can slow growth development of the brain, and this can impair a child's psychological development. According to the Harvard Gazette, studies done on patients who were emotionally or physically abused as children showed they had less blood flow to the part of the brain responsible for emotional balance.
Heritability
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According to the All About Depression website, depression can be inherited from a family member through genes, which is referred to as heritability, but the exact percentage of heritability is unknown. People with a parent or sibling with depression are 1.5 to three times more likely to develop depression than those who do not have relatives with depression, and the cause is partly due to family genetics.
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References
- Great Ideas in Personality: Depression in Children: What Causes It and How Can We Help
- Harvard Health Publications: Depression in Children
- "The Harvard Gazette"; Child Abuse Hurts the Brain; William J. Cromie; May 2003
- Child Welfare: Long-Term Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect
- All About Depression: Genetics Causes of Depression
- "The Los Angeles Times"; Depressed parents' negative effects on kids are combatable; Marilyn Elias; March 15, 2010
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