Depression in mothers and fathers of children with intellectual disability.
Parental depression was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) in 216 families with children with autism and/or intellectual disability (ID), and in 214 control families. Mothers with children with autism had higher depression scores (mean = 11.8) than mothers of children with ID without autism (mean = 9.2), who in turn, had higher depression scores than fathers of children with autism (mean = 6.2), fathers of children with ID without autism (mean = 5.0), and control mothers (mean = 5.0) and fathers (mean = 4.1). Forty-five per cent of mothers with children with ID without autism and 50% of mothers with children with autism had elevated depression scores (BDI > 9), compared to 15-21% in the other groups. Single mothers of children with disabilities were found to be more vulnerable to severe depression than mothers living with a partner.
Olsson
M B
MB
University of Trollhättan-Uddevalla, Vänersborg, Sweden Department of Psychology, Göteborg University, Goteborg, Sweden. Malin.Broberg@1236.se
Hwang
C P
CP
D000293:Adolescent; D001321:Autistic Disorder; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015406:Single Parent / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis; D013548:Sweden