title: MATERNAL DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN CHILDHOOD AND OPENNESS TO EXPERIENCE IN ADULTHOOD.
abstract: We examined the role of maternal depressive symptoms reported during childhood as a predictor of an important personality trait, Openness to Experience (O), in middle adulthood. Participants were 95 adults (38 previously malnourished, 57 control, mean age 42.1 years) who had been followed longitudinally since childhood by the Barbados Nutrition Study. Maternal depressive symptoms had been measured when the participants were 5-11 years of age by the General Adjustment and Morale Scale; O was measured in adulthood by the Revised NEO-Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R). Multiple regression analyses, adjusted for childhood household standard of living, showed a significant main effect on O of maternal depressive symptoms (p< 0.01). Maternal depression also attenuated the significant effect of childhood malnutrition by 14%. Maternal depressive symptoms in childhood may therefore play a causal role in adult personality, in particular Openness to Experience, with implications for creativity.
authors.affiliation: Judge Baker Children's Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Janina R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Galler
authors.affiliation: Barbados Nutrition Study, Bridgetown, Barbados.
authors.forename: Cyralene P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Bryce
authors.affiliation: Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Deborah P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Waber
authors.affiliation: Judge Baker Children's Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Miriam L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Zichlin
authors.affiliation: McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Garrett M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Fitzmaurice
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Paul T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Costa