title: Reported child awareness of parental depression.
abstract: Aims and method To determine rates of parent-reported child awareness of parental depression, examine characteristics of parents, children and families according to child awareness, and explore whether child awareness is associated with child psychopathology. Data were available from 271 families participating in the Early Prediction of Adolescent Depression (EPAD) study, a longitudinal study of offspring of parents with recurrent depression. Results Seventy-three per cent of participating children were perceived as being aware of their parent's depression. Older children, and children of parents who experienced more severe depression, were more likely to be aware. Awareness was not associated with child psychopathology. Clinical implications Considering children in the context of parental depression is important. Child awareness may influence their access to early intervention and prevention programmes. Further research is needed to understand the impact of awareness on the child.
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Section, Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, UK.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Eyre
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Section, Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, UK.
authors.forename: Rhys Bevan
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Becky
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mars
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Section, Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, UK.
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hammerton
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Section, Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, UK.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sellers
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Section, Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, UK ; Cwm Taf Health Board, UK.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Potter
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Section, Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, UK ; Taff Riverside Practice, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: Ajay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thapar
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, UK.
authors.forename: Frances
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Section, Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, UK.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Collishaw
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Section, Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, UK.
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thapar