Children With Early-Onset Disruptive Behavior: Parental Mental Disorders Predict Poor Psychosocial Functioning in Adolescence

TitleChildren With Early-Onset Disruptive Behavior: Parental Mental Disorders Predict Poor Psychosocial Functioning in Adolescence
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2019
AuthorsRoetman, PJosse, Lundström, S, Finkenauer, C, Vermeiren, RRafaël Jo, Lichtenstein, P, Colins, OFrederiek
JournalJournal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
ISBN Number0890-8567
Abstract

Objective
Parental mental disorders (MD) and child early-onset disruptive behavior (DB) are well-established risk factors for poor outcomes in adolescence. However, it is not clear whether parental MD increases risk of future maladjustment among children who already display DB.

Method
Parents of 9-year-old children reported on child DB, while a patient registry was used to determine parental MD. At follow-ups at 15 (N = 6319) and 18 years (N = 3068) information about various problems were collected via registries, parent- and, self-reports.

Results
In the total sample, child DB was related to all outcomes (mean odds ratio [OR] = 1.18; range = 1.07-1.51; ps < .01), paternal MD to criminality, aggression, truancy, poor school performance, and a cumulative risk index of poor functioning, and maternal MD to peer problems, rule-breaking, and truancy (mean OR = 1.67; range = 1.19-2.71; ps < .05). In the subsample of children with DB, paternal MD predicted criminality, consequences of antisocial behavior, truancy, poor school performance, and cumulative risk, while maternal MD predicted peer problems (mean OR = 1.94; range = 1.30-2.40; ps < .05).

Conclusion
This study provides novel evidence that parental MD puts 9-year-olds with DB at risk for negative outcomes in adolescence. Additionally, paternal MD is a better predictor than maternal MD, regardless of child DB at age 9, suggesting that fathers should be given increased attention in future research. Treatment-as-usual of children with DB could be augmented with additional screening and, if necessary, treatment of mental health problems in their parents.

URLhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2018.10.017