title: Parental death during childhood and psychopathology in adulthood.
abstract: We examined the association between parental death during childhood and lifetime and 12-month psychopathology, age of onset, incidence of mental health problems, use of mental health services during adulthood and functional limitations during adulthood. We conducted a longitudinal, population-based epidemiological study in adults aged 18-64 years (N=7076). Mental disorders were assessed with a standardized diagnostic interview (Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI)). Few indications were found that there was a significant increase in mental disorders in adulthood among people who had lost a parent before the age of 16 (N=541). Parental death was not associated with mental disorders (12 months; lifetime), age of onset, incidence of mental disorders, functional limitations or use of mental health services. The majority of children overcome the loss of a parent during childhood without experiencing increased mental health problems, reduced functional limitations or a greater need for mental health services during adulthood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, The Netherlands. Y.Stikkelbroek@uu.nl
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Stikkelbroek
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Prinzie
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Graaf
authors.forename: Margreet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ten Have
authors.forename: Pim
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cuijpers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D017668:Age of Onset; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D063129:Parental Death / Q000523:psychology*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data